According to the resignation agreement between the Murray County Board of Commissioners and former Administrator Carolyn McDonald, the county will pay McDonald six months of severance pay at a total of $71,750.49 in two lump sums. She is to receive the first half of the severance ($35,875.24) within 15 days after the revocation clause in the agreement, and the other half in calendar year 2026 on or before January 15.
McDonald resigned from her position as county administrator after being put on administrative leave in September on a 3-2 vote by commissioners. That action came after a closed session review of her performance - the result of complaints against her, some of which came to light after an employee survey. The county had authorized an outside investigation into the allegations during a special meeting in early October, but within days of that decision, McDonald resigned.
Signed by McDonald October 6 and Board Vice-Chair Jackie Meier on October 7, as a result of McDonald’s resignation, both parties agree that the county will close the investigation against her. McDonald agrees that she will not seek future employment with Murray County. The agreement also states it is made to ensure a clean separation of employment and may not be considered an admission of liability or wrongdoing on behalf of McDonald or the county.
The agreement states Mc-Donald will be eligible to remain on the county’s group health insurance. Between the effective date of the agreement and October 31, 2026, the county will make the same monthly premium contribution toward her family coverage as it makes for the county’s non-union employees. Effective November 1, 2026, McDonald will transmission to single coverage, and the county will make the same monthly premium toward her coverage as it does for county non-union employees. Mc-Donald will be responsible for paying any portion of the coverage that is not covered by the county’s contribution.
The county’s obligation to make premium payments will terminate when McDonald becomes re-employed and has access to health benefits equal to or greater than her current benefits, or when Mc-Donald becomes eligible for Medicare.
McDonald will be paid out for 250 hours of accrued vacation leave and 54.4 hours of sick leave. Those payments will be made to her Health Care Savings Plan within 30 days of the effective date of her resignation.
