ST. LUCIE COUNTY — The County Commission has narrowed the field to six finalists from among 26 who applied for the county administrator job.

The finalists include one who already works for St. Lucie County, one who works for Martin County and three from out of state.

Former County Administrator Howard Tipton, who was hired in 2014, resigned Jan. 12 to become town manager of Longboat Key, triggering a nationwide search to find his successor.

County Attorney Dan McIntyre was named interim county administrator.

Community can meet the finalists

A community meeting will be held 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Havert L. Fenn Center, 2000 Virginia Ave., Fort Perce, for the public to meet finalists.

A community meeting will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Jan. 26 at the Havert L. Fenn Center, 2000 Virginia Ave, for the public to meet finalists.

Commissioners will individually interview finalists Jan. 27 and then publicly interview them as a board at 2:20 p.m. the same day.

Commissioners plan to pick the new county administrator Jan. 31.

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Here are the six finalists:

Dale “Doc” Dougherty

• City manager, Garden City, Michigan (2018-present)
• Director of parks and recreation, Hillsborough County (2015-2018)
• Adjunct business professor, Mercer University in Georgia (2012-2015)
• Adjunct business professor, Middle Georgia State University (2010-2015)
• Director of parks and recreation, Macon–Bibb County, Georgia (2010-2015)
• Executive director, Walterboro-Colleton County Recreation Commission, South Carolina (2009-2010)
• Director of community affairs, Lake Park (1995-2007)

Darren Gray

• Deputy county manager, Osceola County (2022-current)
• Deputy county administrator, Orange County (2020-2022)
• City manager, Clermont (2012-2020)
• County manager, Lake County (2010-2012)
• Assistant city manager, Clermont (2004-2010)

Grey also worked in various government positions for Orange County from 1995-2004 including senior management and budget analyst and administration supervisor for the Parks and Recreation Department.

Eric Johnson

• City manager, Norcross, Georgia (2020-current)
• County manager, Forsyth County, Georgia (2017-2020)
• Assistant county administrator, Hillsborough County (2015-2017)
• Director of strategic planning and enterprise resource planning implementation, Hillsborough County (2011 –2015)
• Management services administrator, Hillsborough County (2008-2011)     
• Director of management and budget, Hillsborough County (1993-2008)     

George Landry

• Public utilities director, St. Lucie County (2018-current)
• Human resources and risk manager, St. Lucie County (2013-2018)
• Served in the U.S. Army 1990-2013

Derek Scrapchansky

• Town manager, Topsham, Maine (2020-current)
• Assistant town manager of Topsham (2018-2019)
• Assistant town manager, Brunswick, Maine (2015-2017)
• Served in the U.S. Navy 2009-2015

George Stokus

• Assistant county administrator, Martin County (2017-current)
• Martin County airport manager (2010-2017)
• Airfield manager, Kissimmee Gateway Airport (2004-2010)
• Airport operations agent, Roanoke Regional Airport (2003-2004)