St. Johns County's highest-ranking official abruptly resigned Thursday.
County Administrator Hunter Conrad expressed his "deep appreciation for giving me one of the greatest privileges and honors of my professional career." But he gave no reason for resigning in a one-page letter to the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners.
The resignation came a day before the commission planned to meet to discuss his "existing service agreement," a meeting that has been canceled.
The commission now will review Conrad's resignation July 18. The meeting Friday was canceled "to provide ample time" to review the resignation and a separation agreement, the county said.
Commision Chairman Christian Whitehurst issued a brief statement about the resignation, thanking Conrad for his "years of leadership and guiding us through the COVID-19 pandemic, multiple hurricanes and other community challenges."
"We want to reassure the community we serve that services will continue, and the exciting projects and programs we have in place will move forward with rejuvenated energy," the statement said. "We have 1,400 professional and passionate employees who will continue service to our citizens and visitors. We will strive to improve with a commitment to public service that is stronger than ever.”
Conrad is a county native who is a member of the Florida and St. Johns County bars, according to his county biography. He previously served as an assistant state attorney for the 7th Judicial Circuit after serving in private practice.
The governor appointed Conrad in 2015 to serve as the St. Johns County clerk of the circuit court and comptroller, and he was elected to the position a year later. He became interim county administrator in December 2019, then accepted the position permanently a month later, his biography states.
In his resignation letter, Conrad said he remembers gratefully accepting the county administrator's job and how it gave him the opportunity to "work beside some of the finest, most servant-hearted people in our community."
"The employees of St. Johns County care greatly about their work, but even more about the people they serve," his letter said. "I believe this is what has and will continue to separate St. Johns County from everywhere else."
His letter discusses the COVID-19 pandemic and "devastating storms" that the county has endured, as well as the deaths of multiple St. Johns Fire Rescue staff and that of Commissioner Paul Waldron in October. He said those events had taken a "great toll" on the county government and community, but they persevered.
"As I reach the end of my time here and the mantle of responsibility is passed to the next leader, I'm confident that the future is bright," he wrote. "When you have the finest, most servant-hearted people with an unwavering ability to persevere, the sky is the limit to what can be accomplished."
The commision chairman stated that county staff will now report to Deputy County Administrators Joy Andrews and Brad Bradley.
