New Lee County Manager begins work

Writer: Rachel Murphy
Published: Updated:
new lee county manager
Lee County Commissioners CREDIT WINK News

Dave Harner started his first day as the new Lee County Manager, overseeing a $2.6 billion budget and 28,000 employees.

“I’ve lived here for 33 years. I’ve worked here for 32 years,” Harner said to WINK News on Wednesday.

Harner started in his role on Tuesday will work with the Lee County commissioners as their new county manager. He’s served as second-in-command to Roger Desjarlais for the last four years.

“I handled all the operations for the county. Anything that we were dealing with pandemic-wise, Hurricane-wise, I was involved in just overseeing the operational component,” Harner explained.

Harner will be taking on many responsibilities. Lee County currently has over $7 billion remaining in unmet needs following Hurricane Ian.

Instead of doing a national search for a new county manager, the commissioners quickly and decisively promoted Harner.

“I’ve been proud to work with this group,” Harner said. “If you go back to Hurricane Irma, if you go to the pandemic, this team has been together, and that includes all our employees, working together to provide to the community.”

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