Hall County’s public information officer is getting a promotion and a $38,000 raise.  

County commissioners approved the pay increase and promoted Sarah Crowe to the position of communications and strategic engagement manager at their regular meeting Tuesday, April 25. 

Crowe, who was hired at $76,000 a year last September, will now receive a $114,000 annual salary. 

“(Crowe) will be over the communications division…communicating important information out to the community,” County Administrator Zach Propes said. “The second piece is management of our strategic plan the board passed in 2018 – that’s a 20-point strategic plan with multiple action items…(Crowe’s) going to be making sure all of the various stakeholders – whether they’re department heads, stakeholders in the community, agencies of the community – are all collaborating and partnering together to move all those initiatives forward.”

Propes cited what he described as Crowe’s proven leadership that he believes will “move the brand forward” as a basis for the promotion. 

The communications and strategic engagement manager position was created last summer, he said.

“Since Sarah (Crowe’s) been with the county as public information officer, she has quickly solidified her place here as far as being someone who thinks strategically,” Propes said. “She’s come in and specifically she’s helped create a leadership program we’re going to roll out this summer…from my position, I’ve been very impressed with her ability to deliver on those initiatives and produce a quality product.”

Details in Crowe’s contract state she also will receive a monthly vehicle allowance of $450 and $50 monthly reimbursements for business use of her personal cell phone. If she elects not to use her personal device, the county will pay for the service on a device provided to her. 

“We’re excited about the opportunity for Sarah to move into this role and what she’ll bring for our future strategic direction of the county,” Propes said. “...Sarah’s experience and her characteristics and attributes are going to prove beneficial to this community as we move forward.”

Before Crowe’s employment in Hall County, she was a career services coordinator at Lanier Technical College – where she engaged local industry partners and oversaw the management of data on the school's graduates.

“I’m really looking forward to getting back into that performance management strategy piece,” Crowe said.

Crowe will take the position replacing former communications and strategic engagement manager Katie Crumley on May 1.