County mayor names interim budget director

CLINTON—Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank has named Connie Cook-Aytes as the county’s interim director of accounts and budgets.

Aytes will take the interim position effective Monday, Feb. 24, Frank said. Aytes was appointed after Budget Director Chris Phillips announced he is resigning to take a job as city recorder for Lake City.

Aytes has worked as the deputy director in the Anderson County Budget Office since May 2008.

Prior to joining Anderson County Government, Aytes worked as an auditor for nine years for the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office Division of County Audit.

“I always thought it would be more fun to create the numbers than to audit them,” Aytes said. “But, there’s a lot of work involved in creating all these numbers!”

“Connie has an eye for detail and a passion for doing things right,” Frank said. “She has worked as deputy director since 2008 and has earned the respect of officials and coworkers. Connie has done the heavy lifting on our Popular Annual Financial Reports that have consistently earned Anderson County multiple awards of excellence from the Government Finance Officers Association. I know we are in good hands.”

Aytes said she looks forward to the challenge of leading the county budget office through the staff transition and is confident it will be smooth.

“I have a good working relationship with all the officials and the employees here,” Aytes said. “We’re all working toward the same goal, and that’s making sure Anderson County is accountable to the citizens. I appreciate the confidence Terry has in me for this position, whether it’s short-term or long-term.”

A graduate of Tennessee Tech University with a degree in accounting and finance, Aytes is a native of Roane County. She is married to Steven Aytes and has two children, a daughter, Jessie, and son, David.