The search for a new administrator for the Suwannee Valley Transit Authority continues after only two applications were received for the position, one of which came from former director of operations William Steele.

SVTA Board of Directors Chairman and Suwannee County Commission Chairman Jason Bashaw explained that the Board decided to reject both applications since only one (Steele’s) was submitted correctly. The board wanted to select from a larger pool of applicants, Bashaw explained. The board decided to re-advertise the administrator opening with the salary stated in order to attract more applicants, board member and Suwannee County Commissioner Larry Sessions said.

With current Interim Administrator Teresa Fortner stepping down at the end of the month, the SVTA Board of Directors appointed Sessions to take up the interim mantle as of April 1 until a permanent administrator is hired. Sessions is one of the newer members on the SVTA board but has previously offered to help the SVTA improve efficiencies using his decades of experience in logistics and management with UPS.

“I’d like for them to be successful, so I’m glad to help out,” said Sessions. “I will do my very best to keep them on the right track.”

Sessions said he told the Board he would not accept compensation in his new position except for mileage reimbursements if he is required to travel for SVTA-related purposes.

As previously reported in this newspaper, Steele’s title at SVTA was abolished last spring. He and former administrator Gwen Pra were the targets of a Florida Department of Law Enforcement criminal probe for their unallowed compensatory time payouts of public funds between June 2012 and March 2014 as reported by the Florida Department of Transportation. The case went before a Suwannee County grand jury which failed to indict the two on Feb. 11. As such, the FDLE closed its criminal case against them.