Orange County Administrator Glenda Paul has announced her retirement.
Earlier this month, Paul told supervisors she would be retiring effective Jan. 1, 2027.
“When you get to be a certain age you start to think about spending time with grandbabies and the things you could be doing with your family,” she said. “I’m going to move on and try to do some of those things in the next few years.”
Paul had intended to retire at the end of 2025, however when then county administrator Ted Voorhees suddenly resigned in June of that year, she agreed to delay her retirement and step into the vacant role. Paul has a long history of employment in Orange County. She was hired as the finance director in 2011 and became deputy administrator in 2021. She plans to work with the board to ensure a smooth transition.
“That’s the reason for the early announcement,” Paul said.
District 4 Supervisor Crystal Coleman thanked Paul for her service, both in her current and previous roles.
“You had decided to retire when we really needed you,” Coleman said. “You put your life on hold for us to take on the [administrator] role with great pride and passion.”
Board of supervisors chair Bryan Nicol, District 4, said the public doesn’t always understand that the county administrator role is 24/7.
“You’re always on,” he said. “You always respond appropriately. We’ve been lucky to have you all those years and are extremely fortunate that when, to our great surprise, the county administrator left and you said you’d think about doing it and then signed up for it.”
Paul said she feels great about the administrative team the county has and believes things will be in great hands when she departs.
Nicol said the board will work together through the transition and undergo a process in which all members are involved.
“The [next person] has big shoes to fill,” he said.
