Debbie Davidson not retiring, but stepping back from duties

Dec. 9—Debbie Davidson's plans early in life were to pursue a career in accounting which she had studied at Randolph Community College.

However, she strayed off the path after landing a job as an accounting clerk in Lee County Government. Ultimately, she wound up in charge of three county departments — Senior Services, County of Lee Transportation Service and Veterans Services.

"Was this my intended for a career?" Davidson replied to the question.

After a long pause, she answered: "Um, no. I'm not going to lie. I went into accounting in business administration in the county. I was working in a company accounting department. I looked to be working at something in the accounting field probably for the rest of my life.

"I never said 'Oooh, I want to be the director of the senior center.' "

But that's where her career path has taken her and along the way, she's taken on additional responsibilities.

Now Davidson, who just turned 61, is going to take a few steps back from all the responsibilities as her career begins to wind down.

She was hired as an accounting clerk in 1986 when she and her husband, Eric, who was employed as a credit manager at Lowe's Home Improvement, transferred from Asheboro to Sanford.

Davidson had earned a two-year degree in accounting at Randolph Community College. Once arriving in Sanford, Davidson needed to find a job.

She randomly sent her resume to Lee County Government and received a phone call about coming for an interview.

"I didn't even know what I had applied for to tell you the truth and I didn't know that much about county government," Davidson said.

She came for her interview on a Monday morning and was offered the at 3 p.m. the same day. She went to work as an accounting clerk and did paperwork and grant writing.

"Prior to 1992, the transportation network in Lee County was only a few vans and those were owned by the N.C. Department of Transportation. The county got a grant to buy those vans with only a 10% match," Davison said.

The county's Department of Senior Services was able to get some vans that were used to transport senior adults, she said. The department hired its own drivers, and the buses were used to people to the senior center and take them to medical appointments.

At the time, Lee County Industries had a couple vans as did the former Center for Independent Living and Sheltered Workshop and mental health services.

"I coordinated all of that as the accounting clerk, doing all the paperwork for the grant writing ... and in 1990, the Department of Transportation wanted consolidate the transportation system so they didn't have this agency's van going here and this agency's van going there," Davidson said.

"We called it (the mapped routes) spaghetti. I mean if you looked, vas were going every which way."

Davidson applied for some grant funding through the Community Transportation Association and received enough money to hire a consultant who helped her design maps.

"Commissioner Robert Reives was very instrumental in working with me on that," she said. "He was wonderful, organized and everything."

County workers were then able to apply for grant funding with the N.C. Department of Transportation that would cover administrative costs and more. Other agencies agreed to turn their vans back into Lee County.

That was the beginning of COLTS.

"I remember the director of Lee County Industries at that time — we were trying to think of a name, and he went 'COLTS County of Lee Transit System. So, with that, COLTS was born, and it was born with seven vehicles in 1992," Davidson said.

In May 1992, the Lee County Enrichment Center building opened, and COLTS followed in October 1992.

"Over the years, it has grown now to 21 vehicles, and we run about 300 trips a day and it is public access — anybody can call and get a ride and it's $5 each way — and we also contract with various contractors."

The contractors include senior services, Central Carolina Community College, nursing homes, mental health — all are contracted and work with COLTS.

"It's grown by leaps and bounds," Davidson said of COLTS, "and it's about to grown again. Hence, why I'm coming back to work. To help design a new and improved — a rebranding of COLTS is what we're calling it."

As an assistant manager in the Senior Services Department, Davidson was, for the most part, in charge of the operation in 1997, she was named director.

"I'm excited," Davidson said of her new position. "Managing three departments, I haven't had time to hone — my office is here, but I have had time really to hone in on COLTS. I'm looking forward now to working more closely with them."

In 2006, the county's Veterans Services division was moved from the Human Resources Division to Senior Services.

"It's been a win-win situation because so many veterans are older and then they may get Medicare assistance, or they may want meals or the fitness center. They may be a caregiver and need caregiver assistance or they may need transportation, so they contact COLTS."

Davidson is familiar with caregiver needs. She holds a bachelor's degree in Christian Education and a master's degree in Christian Counseling, both from Andersonville Seminary in Georgia.

"I used that a lot here, the counseling side of it," she said. "I took classes in cognitive behavior, addictive behavior, that sort of thing, so I've used it a lot with our seniors here, especially those people who are caregivers caring for their loved ones," Davidson said.

Her only regret was being unable to spend more time with the seniors.

"Because I'm so busy with the admin stuff, I don't get the time to really get out of my office and ... sit down and talk with them," Davidson said.

She may not get out of her office, but the seniors and veterans know who she is.

"I go to the grocery store somewhere and it's almost as if I have 'I'm the director of Senior Services written across my forehead.' Because a senior will come up to me and ask 'Can you help me find this or do you know if this food will go this casserole, or I can't reach that. Can you reach that for me?' " Davidson said.

"It's really interesting that over the years, I've just developed this love of older adults and now, I'm one of them."