Kelly S. Evans, who has served as IT director for the City of Thomson and McDuffie County for the past 6 1/2 years, is leaving to accept another job in local government, The McDuffie Mirror has learned.
Mrs. Evans officially submitted her letter of resignation to McDuffie County Manager Don Norton last Thursday.
She is leaving the joint city/county IT Department to become executive director of the Thomson Housing Authority.
She plans to step down from her current position within two weeks and assume her new position, which currently is held by Bob Flanders, former city administrator.
"It is with mixed emotions that I tender my resignation as information technology director for McDuffie County," Mrs. Evans said in her letter of resignation -- a copy of which was obtained by the newspaper. She sent copies of the letter to Mr. Norton and to City of Thomson Administrator Don Powers. "I have accepted a position as executive director of the Thomson Housing Authority.
"I have enjoyed the opportunity to serve the citizens of McDuffie County. My time with McDuffie County has been an adventure; always a challenge and never dull. I want to thank you for your willingness to always listen and keep an open mind. I look forward to working with you in the future as a collaborator. I wish you only the best.
"Please consider this my official two-week notice, but also know that I will never be far. I am certainly willing to help transition. I take great pride in this technology department and I will work with you in any way to guarantee its continued success."
In her new role, she will be overseeing a budget that slightly surpasses $1 million. As IT director, Mrs. Evans had a budget of $300,000.
Mrs. Evans said she looks forward to the opportunities and challenges that await her.
"I'm really excited about starting my new job," Mrs. Evans said during an interview with The Mirror last Friday. "My first love is government and that's what my degree is in -- so it's going to be great to get back into the field that I love so much."
She also said she's looking forward to working more closely with people.
As IT director, her important role often is behind the scenes, making sure computers and other technical equipment either is properly running or being repaired correctly. Much of the job is out of the presence of people.
Mrs. Evans praised Mr. Flanders for the job that he has done since leaving his post as city administrator.
"Bob has brought the Thomson Housing Authority stock back into the mix of economic development," Mrs. Evans said. "We have a good safe, quality Housing Authority that all of us can be proud of in this community."
Mrs. Evans is married to Butch Evans, a state probation officer in Augusta. They have two children, Mary Lynn, 8, a third-grader at Thomson Elementary School and David, 6, a kindergarten student at J.A. Maxwell Elementary School.
