Jim Haynes admits he didn’t quite know what he was getting into when he interviewed for the job as county manager a dozen years ago.

Richmond County residents should be glad.

“They teach this in school when you’re interviewing for a job,” he said Thursday. “I failed to really find out what kind of financial shape the county was in. I was at the interview and you’re in a room full of seven people, and I remember asking the question, and somebody said ‘we don’t have enough money.’ Then the conversation quickly switched to another topic.”

Haynes never got the real answer to his question that day, but the gravity of the situation was driven home on his first day on the job.

There was an envelope on his desk from the Local Government Commission that said “final warning.”

Richmond County government was nearly broke and the state was going to take over local operations unless the problems were corrected — and quickly. The county spent $30 million a year on operations yet only had $100,000 in reserve, far below the minimum requirement set by the state.

Welcome to Richmond County, Jim.

Instead of backing away, Haynes tackled the problem. He’s quick to point out he didn’t turn around the situation alone. He credits the members of the Richmond County Board of Commissioners and the hundreds of people who work for county government. He also credits the taxpayers, who had to face higher tax rates in order to get the county back on track.

From that day with just $100,000 in the bank, the county grew the fund balance to as much as $16 million. Today it stands closer to $10 million, well within the safe limits the state requires. The money provides a cushion when unexpected things happen and in county government the unexpected can be expected.

As he prepares to retire, Haynes said it’s that financial buffer that he considers his biggest accomplishment as county manager. Not the new courthouse, not the utility system, not the highway improvements.

“I can truthfully say that I have done my best to follow the policies both formal and implied that the board of commissioners has established,” he said. “I have certainly enjoyed my tenure as county manager and hope that history will see this period as the beginning of many good things for the citizens of the county.”

As a county manager, you have to be able to say “no” just as often — or sometimes more often than you say “yes.” Haynes has been able to do that. He’s aware that doesn’t always win friends.

“As time progresses and we continue to grow, we can eventually compare ourselves with anyone, anywhere,” Haynes said. “I hope that someone, sometime will say that there was as good basis here to begin the process of structured growth.”

We’ll say that now Jim. Good job.