Interim County Manager Cindy Steinmann sent a letter of resignation Friday to the Bulloch County Board of Commissioners that will become effective April 9.

Steinmann had served in an interim role since Dec. 3, following the resignation of Tom Couch, who had been county manager since 2004. Steinmann joined the county staff as a management analyst in December 2014, then was promoted to special projects manager in 2018 and to assistant county manager in the spring of 2021.

"It has been an extraordinary honor to serve the residents of Bulloch County for over 10 years," Steinmann said in a statement she emailed Monday afternoon. "I am immensely proud of what we've accomplished during my tenure, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such a dedicated and talented team of public servants."

Steinmann didn't announce any future plans or if she was heading to another position elsewhere.

When she accepted the interim job in December, she told the Herald: "I don't have any intent of taking the role permanently. So, my intent is to keep the ship afloat until such time as the commissioners have recruited and hired a replacement county manager. … I'll be a resource for commissioners and happy to assist in any recruitment."

Steinmann's interim contract paid her $175,000 annually, while Couch's yearly salary was $202,546 when he left.

A request for proposals aimed at hiring a professional recruiting firm to help commissioners search for a new county manager was sent out Jan. 16 with a deadline to submit proposals 30 days later in mid-February.

The commissioners have not discussed hiring a firm since the deadline passed. 

A native of Dublin, Georgia, Steinmann came to Statesboro as a university student and became a "Double Eagle," receiving both her Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Public Administration from Georgia Southern.

"This was not an easy decision, as I take pride in the exceptional professionalism, integrity, and commitment of Bulloch County's staff — individuals who consistently place the wellbeing of our citizens at the heart of everything they do," Steinmann said in her e-mailed statement. "I will always cherish these hardworking individuals and hope they continue to receive the recognition and support they so richly deserve for their tireless service to our community."