Durham County won't say why its county manager resigned

• Sowell had been on paid leave for several weeks before her resignation. So far, county officials have declined to say what led to her resignation or the financial terms of her departure.
• Axios has submitted records requests on the matter, but they have not been filled yet. A spokesperson for the county has not yet responded to a request for comment.

The big picture: The county manager is the highest-paid executive in the county, overseeing its budget, the commissioner's policy directives and its roughly 2,000 workers.

Context: Hager, a 14-year veteran of the county government, most recently served as the deputy county manager. has been interim county manager twice in Durham, previously stepping into the role after Wendell Davis was voted out by the Board of Commissioners in 2021.

• Davis eventually won a nearly $800,000 settlement after alleging discrimination against the county, The News & Observer reported.