State-Journal.com - County has new aide for Collins

Photo By State Journal/Kelly Mackey

Jennifer Wilson will start Monday as deputy county judge-executive. A former county employee, she has worked for the Legislative Research Commission since 2001.

Fred Goins, Franklin County deputy judge-executive, has resigned because of a health problem and is being replaced by a former administrator for the local jail, who later reviewed contracts for the state.
Jennifer A. Wilson, 39, the new deputy, says she's looking forward to improving the community and supports a new county recreation center.
"I've known her to be a very dedicated, hard-working individual and I think she will do a great job for the county, " said Collins of Wilson, who will start Monday at an annual salary of $60,000.
Goins declined officially to disclose the nature of his illness Thursday, saying only that his health problem "is very treatable and curable."
Goins, whose current salary is $68,000 a year, said he believes Wilson will do a good job.
"She has experience in county government and good experience with LRC," Goins said. "She should know the job pretty well. I've enjoyed working with Judge Collins and had intended to work the entire term until this health problem came up that I now have to deal with."
Wilson, a native of Frankfort who lives in Lawrenceburg, is a committee assistant, reviewing government contracts for the Legislative Research Commission. She has worked for LRC since 2001 and her last day there was Friday.
She worked in county government from 1987 to 2001. She was director of administration at the Franklin County Regional Jail from 1987 to 1994. Then she became administrative assistant to the county judge-executive from 1994 to 1996, reviewing and approving invoices for all county departments. From 1996 to 2001, she was in charge of payroll and personnel for Franklin County Fiscal Court.
According to her rsum, Wilson is a 1986 graduate of Frankfort High School and has completed 11 professional training seminars or conferences.
"She has worked with all types of state contracts and has reviewed those," Collins said. "We do contracts here as well and I think that will be a benefit for us, having someone familiar with contracts.
"She has a good knowledge of our jail system and how it works. She has a good knowledge of our payroll system. She has a lot of knowledge about the treasurer's office."
Collins said he considered two others for the job before offering it to Wilson. "All three were very qualified," Collins said.
Collins said he has known Wilson since 1987 when he was sheriff and "she was one of the key administrators at the jail. My deputies and I worked with her on a daily basis and we worked well together. Then when she came to work in the judge-executive's office, she was very good to work with."
Wilson in an interview Thursday said being a native of Franklin County would help in the deputy judge-executive's job.
"I know a lot of people here and I hear a lot of what people want," Wilson said. "I hope my voice can help the people. I've heard so many people talk about wanting a new recreational center here. I, personally, would like to see that in the future and maybe I can help make that happen.
"With my previous experience of 14 years with the county and seven years with state government, I hope to bring new ideas for a bright future for Franklin County. I'm excited to work with Judge Collins, the members of Fiscal Court and the citizens of Franklin County."
County Treasurer Susan Laurenson said Wilson was assistant county treasurer and payroll administrator when Laurenson started working in county government.
"Jennifer was a big asset," Laurenson said. "She was very knowledgeable about numbers and finances for Fiscal Court. She was the human resources person and you have to be accurate when you're dealing with people's paychecks. She was always very conscientious in working with employees' benefits and payroll. She was an excellent worker."
Wilson also serves, and "most likely will continue to serve," as secretary of the Franklin County Project Development Board, which will oversee the building of a new judicial center, said Collins, chairman of the board. She receives $50 a meeting as secretary.
Wilson and her husband, Gerald Wilson, a sergeant with the Kentucky State Police, have two sons, Chase, 9, and Keenan, 7. She said they've been planning to move back to Franklin County. Collins described Goins as a "wonderful person and has done an excellent job."
Goins came to the judge-executive's office after retiring as director of the Franklin County Health Department, where he worked 23 years. Goins said he'll be available for the transition.
"He had a distinguished career with the health department," Collins said in an interview last week. "He has worked for a number of county judges. He has worked very hard to make county government run smoothly.
"We have a great working relationship and I am very sad some health problems have popped up and he's leaving us. But I understand when you have health issues, you reprioritize your life. He's going to be missed greatly."
Goins, deputy for 8 years, has agreed to continue working "for at least the first two weeks of March to provide a smooth transition, and then be available by phone for the new deputy and me for any questions that might pop up," Collins said. "
Collins said he encouraged Goins to take a leave of absence and return to the job after getting his health issues resolved. But Goins decided it was time to leave.
"I've discussed this with Judge Collins and my wife and I'm ready to retire," Goins said. I'm going to become a grandfather in June and I would like to give all of my energy to getting this behind me before I become a grandfather."