Claire Collins, who re- signed in June as city manager of Covington, will become Rockbridge County's administrator in September.

Collins, 53, is only the second county administrator hired to manage local government operations in Rockbridge. Don Austin, who held the post for 36 years, retired in July.

The Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 Monday to hire Collins. She was one of 13 applicants to apply for the job, said Walkers Creek Supervisor A.W. "Buster" Lewis.

"She has a great reputation for working well with staff," Lewis said.

That's an important trait, he said, as county administration personnel adapt to a new administrator after Austin's nearly four decades of leadership.

"After 36 years of one style, we're just very interested in having an administrator who will be able to get everybody on the same page and move forward without a lot of anguish," Lewis said.

Collins will be paid an annual salary of $97,500 and begin work Sept. 2.

Among the projects and issues facing the county are building a trash transfer station, upgrading its wastewater treatment facility and encouraging economic development.

Collins served 14 years as Bath County's administrator before coming to Covington in 2006. She left Covington in June shortly after a study paid for by the nonprofit Alleghany Foundation indicated the region could save more than $7 million annually if Alleghany County, its two towns, Clifton Forge and Iron Gate, and the independent city of Covington consolidated into one government.

A growing number of residents there have been pushing for consolidation as a voter referendum.

Collins and members of Covington's city council had been skeptical that consolidation would save the big dollars indicated by various reports over the years.