Harris County commissioners appointed Jesse Dickerman as interim county administrator and budget officer in a 4-1 vote.
Commissioner Tom Ramsey, the lone Republican on the court, voted no during a special meeting of the Commissioners Court on Monday.
Dickerman will begin his new role May 1 and will retain the post while the county conducts a national search for a permanent replacement.
The appointment follows the retirement of Diana Ramirez, who has served as county administrator since April 2023 and will step down at the end of this month. Local taxpayers reportedly paid Ramirez a salary higher than the one paid to the President of the United States—over $418,000 in 2023.
A motion made by Commissioner Adrian Garcia and seconded by Commissioner Ramsey instructed the interim county administrator to prepare a report studying the option of dissolving the office and reassigning its functions. However, the motion failed in a 2-3 vote.
Dickerman currently holds the position of managing director of energy transition at the Harris County Office of County Administration.
The county administration office was established by the Harris County Commissioners Court in June 2021 to oversee the day-to-day operations of the county government, to make it more efficient, and to implement long-term strategic planning.
Dickerman’s interim responsibility will be to prioritize operational stability. He will report directly to the Commissioners Court until a national search is completed and a permanent administrator is named.
The interim administrator will not be considered for the permanent position, according to the court.
