After serving as the city clerk for the city of Oxford for 13 years, Lisa Carwyle will move over to Lafayette County where she will be the next county administrator.

The Lafayette County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved hiring Carwyle this morning during its regular meeting at the Chancery Building.

The Oxford Board of Aldermen is expected to accept her resignation Tuesday evening during its regular meeting.

Oxford Mayor Pat Patterson said the county position is a “tremendous financial opportunity” for Carwyle. The new position pays about $135,000 annually.

“That’s difficult to turn down,” Patterson said. “She will be greatly missed here at City Hall.”

Carwyle started working as an accountant for the city 20 years ago at the Oxford Electric Department. She was hired 13 years ago to be the city clerk in March 2003.

Pending the acceptance of her resignation, she will begin with the county on Jan. 11. Sherry Wall has served as the interim county administrator since the November resignation of Joseph Johnson and will until Jan. 11.

Carwyle graduated from Lafayette High School in 1991 and received her Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of Mississippi in May 1995. She earned her Master of Accountancy from Ole Miss in August 1999.

Supervisor Jeff Busby said Carwyle met all of the requirements the board was looking for in the next county administrator.

“She has 20 years of experience preparing budgets, has an accounting background and has good communication skills with the public,” Busby said. “We wanted someone with that type of experience. She brings a lot to the table and will be an asset to the county.”

Busby said while Carwyle is obviously well-qualified to be the next administrator of the county, she also has a vested interest in the community.

“From the time she got out of school, she decided she would stay home and serve this community,” Busby said. “She didn’t move and make a career somewhere else. She wanted to make this community her home and a better place for her children. She has invested all of her life in this community and we look forward to her continuing to do that with this board.”

Will miss co-workers

Carwyle said she will miss working with her colleagues at city hall the most when she leaves her job there.

“Without a doubt, what I’ll miss the most are the great people I work with,” she said. “They are some of the most talented, dedicated and hard-working employees. I’ve had great relationships with department heads, employees, mayors and aldermen throughout my 20 years. They are a part of my family, and I’ll miss them.”

Carwyle said she looks forward to her new job in the county where she and her children were raised and wants to continue that progress the current board has accomplished and encourage more proactive government.

“I welcome an open-door policy and hope the public will feel they can approach me regarding any issue.”

Eager to learn

While the two jobs are very similar, there are of course differences and Carwyle said she is eager to start working and learning her new job.

“My experience with numerous and diverse city projects have helped me to prepare for the county administrator position,” she said. “While my educational background is in accounting, while working for the city, I worked daily with many difficult legal and complex personnel issues and I believe that those experiences will be an asset to my position with the county.”

Patterson said Deputy City Clerk Ashley Atkinson will step in as interim city clerk for an undetermined amount of time until the Board of Aldermen votes to advertise the position.

“I’m sure she’s going to do a great job as interim city clerk,” Patterson said.

Rob Sigler contributed to this story.