Sanders excited to succeed Killian as Aiken County administrator

Jul. 28—Several decades after he began the climb, Brian Sanders reached the summit of his personal Mount Everest on July 21, when he succeeded Clay Killian as Aiken County's administrator.

"It was something that I was striving for, but it was not something that ultimately had to happen for me to consider that I had had a successful career," Sanders said. "I was already doing meaningful work anyway."

But when Killian announced his retirement, Sanders was ready to make the final ascent.

And County Council was more than willing to help push him to the top quickly.

Only one week after Killian made his plans known to the panel in May, its members unanimously approved a voice motion by Vice Chairman Andrew Siders following an executive session to authorize the negotiation of a contract with Sanders to replace his boss.

Killian had served as administrator since 2001.

Sanders was his deputy administrator.

"I've been asked by a few people that are close to me if I'm nervous, and I am not," Sanders said. "I know everybody here. I know the Council, I know the county's employees and I know the citizens. I also know pretty much everything about the county. I've had 30 years to learn, and I am excited about this opportunity."

County Council Chairman Gary Bunker described Sanders as the "obvious choice," praising him for his job performance, "knowledge base" and "willingness to cooperate with Council on issues."

Sanders, 56, was born at the old Aiken County Hospital in Aiken and raised in Graniteville.

After graduating from Midland Valley High School in 1985, Sanders headed to Clemson University. He earned a bachelor's degree in administrative management four years later.

Before finishing his studies at Clemson, Sanders teamed up with a friend, Danny Stone, to launch a restaurant, Topps, on York Street in Aiken.

"It was a diner, and we also had an arcade," Sanders said. "We had hamburgers, hot dogs, fresh cut French fries and hand-dipped ice cream."

Sanders spent his last semester in college helping run the business, which later expanded to include a location on the Southside.

"I would work Friday, Saturday and the possible Sunday afternoon," Sanders said. "Then I would be a student from Sunday evening until Friday afternoon."

After several years together, Sanders and Stone dissolved their partnership, and Stone bought out Sanders's interest.

Then, "for a short time, I worked with my brother (Joey), who had his own exterior home improvement business," Sanders said.

In March 1993, Sanders became an Aiken County employee.

"My wife (Erica) was working for the solicitor's office and she saw a job posting for a park supervisor position, so I applied for it and got it," Sanders said. "I have always been interested in sports."

Sanders was based at Harrison-Caver Park in Clearwater.

"My original plan was to work for county for six months until I figured out another business that I could go into — another restaurant or something else," Sanders said. "Six months turned into 30 years."

Sanders served as the county's tourism program coordinator after his stint at Harrison-Caver.

And his climb through the ranks continued.

Less than a year later, Sanders became the assistant director of the Park, Recreation and Tourism Department. Promotions to interim director and then director in 1996 followed.

When Killian wanted to make Sanders an assistant county administrator in 2008, he needed some time to consider the offer.

"I enjoyed the parks and recreation profession so much, and I enjoyed the parks and recreation people," Sanders said. "I had to think long and hard about leaving."

The desire for a new challenge and the feeling "I could do more" were the key factors in his decision to join Killian's administrative staff, Sanders recalled.

In 2019, Killian promoted Sanders to deputy administrator.

"Brian has done a great job for us," said Killian prior to his retirement July 20. "I can always count on him to be there when I need him, and he gives me good advice when I ask for it. He's been a loyal partner.

"He's been working with Council for 15 years, and he knows how the system works," Killian continued. "He knows how this county government works, and he probably knows about it better than I do."

Sanders expressed gratitude for the opportunities that Killian has given him.

"Clay's is the best boss that I've ever had, " Sanders said. "He allowed me a lot of autonomy, which I absolutely have to have. I do not want to be micromanaged. I cannot operate that way."

Sanders plans to keep the county functioning in much the same way it did under Killian.

"Not a lot is going to change," he said. "Good customer service, honesty, efficiency and openness — those are the things that Clay always wanted us to have."

Sanders also discussed his priorities.

They include "continuing to help our EMS (Emergency Medical Services) director make the needed changes to improve service, to get a good ballot ready for Capital Project Sales Tax V (which the county's voters will consider in November 2024) and to finalize some of the ongoing improvements at the wastewater treatment plant," Sanders said.

One of his best friends is Aiken City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh.

"We first met each other as basketball opponents in middle school," Sanders said. "When I was a sophomore at Midland Valley, he was a freshman, and we both played on the JV basketball team. We have been close ever since, and we spend a lot of time together. We go to concerts and all kinds of things. We also go on vacations together, his family and my family."

Sanders and his wife, who have been married since 1991, have two sons. Patrick, 20, is a student at the College of Charleston. Alan, 23, is a Clemson graduate who works in Georgia for the City of Alpharetta's Recreation, Parks & Cultural Services Department.