J. Mark Carter has been named interim county administrator to replace James “Mac” McReynolds, who died of an apparent heart attack Sunday.
The Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to appoint Carter, who currently serves as assistant county administrator, to the position.
Carter joined the county in 1977 as a planner. He was appointed director of the department of community development in 1986, and remained in that position until 1995, when was named assistant to the county administrator.
He has been serving as assistant county administrator since 2002 and also serves as the zoning administrator for the county.
He holds a master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography and Secondary Education from James Madison University.
Carter, who lives in Yorktown, called McReynolds a “true friend” and said he appreciated the support of the board.
“It’s comforting that we have such an excellent staff that will be there to do the things that need to be done,” he said.
The supervisors shared stories and remarks of McReynolds during the meeting Tuesday night, which was attended by several county officials, including Planning Commissioner Montgoussaint Jons, Economic Development Director Jim Noel and York County Fire and Life Safety Chief Stephen Kopczynski.
“He was like a brother to me,” Chairman Don Wiggins said, adding he enjoyed dinner with McReynolds and his wife Saturday night. “He was a great human being and a great county administrator.”
“We will move forward and we will prosper because of the ground work that has been laid by Mac and the other county administrators before him,” Supervisor Sheila Noll said.
Supervisor Walter Zaremba, who sat next to McReynolds during meetings in York Hall, said he could not help but look over to the empty seat on his right reserved for McReynolds.
“We will miss him incredibly,” he said. “I can’t believe we have been so lucky and so privileged to have Mac at the helm.”
McReynolds, a 1977 graduate of The College of William & Mary, served as county administrator for 13 years.
He joined the county in 1983 as an accountant and became director of budget and accounting in 1998, according to a York County news release. He was promoted to director of financial and management services in 1992 and was appointed as county administrator in May 2001.
Funeral and service arrangements have been set for Thursday and Friday. The Board of Supervisors also voted Tuesday to allow employees administrative leave for the funeral Friday.
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