ZEBULON — The final action taken during Tuesday night’s Pike County Board of Commissioners meeting was an announcement that Teresa Watson, who currently serves as Spalding County executive secretary, would be offered the position of Pike County clerk.

According to Pike County Manager Steve Marro, Watson was among a field of 58 applicants to apply for the position between Sept. 28 and Oct. 26.

When asked what made Watson the top candidate for county clerk, Marro said, “Her experience and recommendations — she was highly recommended. We had a lot of governmental officials from all over Spalding County and other local areas who have worked with her call us. They said she’s highly qualified and highly experienced and will do Pike County an excellent job.”

He then described the county clerk’s position as “highly responsible,” and identified required tasks such as maintaining the county code book, posting BOC meeting agendas, keeping the minutes of BOC meetings and performing executive secretarial duties for BOC members and the county manager.

“She (Watson) would become the official keeper of the record. Pike County has not had a county clerk for more than four years. For whatever reason, the position was not filled. We then became one of three counties in Georgia that did not have a county clerk,” he said.

Marro said Watson has been made aware of the decision to offer her the position of county clerk.

“I spoke with her this morning (Wednesday) before 8 o’clock. She’s awaiting the offer I mailed out to her today,” he said, explaining the packet she will receive contains basic employee-oriented information such as the Pike County personnel policy, benefits program and holiday schedule.

Following the conclusion of Tuesday’s BOC meeting, Marro said the salary range for the county clerk’s position is from $34,393 to $46,725, but he declined to reveal the amount offered to Watson.

Watson now has until Dec. 6 to accept the position offered.