Clover native named town administrator

Allison Harvey spent her early years at Bethany Elementary, went to prom at Clover High and jump-started her career as a clerk of court for Clover Municipal Court. And she loves Courtney's Barbecue. Soon, she'll return to her roots as Clover's new town administrator. In a Tuesday morning meeting, the Clover Town Council voted to offer the post to Harvey, a former resident who is now Kiawah Island's town administrator. The decision was unanimous, although Councilwoman Ann Harvey abstained from the vote, citing a conflict of interest. Her nephew is Harvey's husband. Although the paperwork is not final, Harvey said she's elated about the opportunity to serve her hometown. "I'm very, very excited," she said. " I'm excited about the opportunity to grow professionally and enjoy being closer to my family. I'm looking forward to Sunday lunch with my family after church and having my daughter attend Bethany Elementary, the same school my grandmother, mother and myself attended." Harvey's Clover roots were a major factor in the decision, Mayor Donnie Burris said. "She's a local girl with lots of connections," Burris said. "This is not just a job for her. It's her home. We wanted somebody who wants to be here, not just someone looking to build a resume and move on." But her resume speaks for itself, Burris added. Harvey has a master's of public administration and a bachelor's degree in political science, both from the University of South Carolina. She served as a clerk of court/associate judge for York County Magistrate and Clover Municipal Court in 1993 and 1994 and was a graduate intern for the city of Orangeburg and the South Carolina Executive Institute before landing her post at Kiawah Island. She has been town administrator in Kiawah Island for nine years, where her responsibilities included developing and implementing policies, plans and procedures as well as supervising town staff and finances. While there, she said her greatest accomplishments were enhancing human resources for city staff and helping create an emergency preparedness plan. "This lady is Superwoman," Councilman Bruce Henderson said. "She has excellent communication skills and is a real people person. She realizes the taxpayer is the ultimate boss." Henderson said Harvey stood out among the 15 or so candidates who applied for the job. Other finalists for the position were Bradley Smith, an army veteran who is town manager in Kingstree, and William Clay Young, county administrator for Dillon County. Young, however, withdrew his name on Saturday and said he wanted to stay in Dillon. Harvey will spend the next month wrapping up projects in Kiawah Island. She is under contract to provide a two-month notice, but that contract was signed eight years ago and she said she'll more than likely be able to leave sooner. Her plan is to be on the job by the first week of April. She and her husband, Brad, plan to move onto family property in Bethany with their daughter, Maggie, 4. In the meantime, she plans to catch up on all the issues facing the town, especially hot topics like growth and annexation. "I can't wait," Harvey said. "I really believe in Clover."

Web site created by My Scribe