Robbins Town Manager Brant Sikes is resigning to take a job with the county.

Sikes handed a copy of his resignation letter to Mayor Theron Bell and each commissioner Thursday night during a called emergency meeting of the Town Board. His last day will be Jan. 23.

He said he is taking a higher-paying job as wastewater supervisor for Moore County on Jan. 26.

"It was the hardest decision I have ever had to make," he said in a telephone interview Friday. "It was not easy, but I have to take care of my family. I had offers from other places and turned them all down."

Sikes, the town's former public works director, accepted the town manager's job in January 2007. He was the first town manager in Robbins' history.

"He's done a tremendous job here in Robbins," said Mayor Theron Bell. "No one on the board has anything but high praise for him."

Robbins amended its charter in the summer of 2006 to move from a mayor-council form of government to the manager/council form. The Robbins Town Board has five commissioners, including Bell.

The town manager's authority is set in statutes by the General Assembly. Managers run towns the way bosses run companies. The manager does all the hiring and firing, basically taking care of the day-to-day business of running the town and reporting once a month or so to the board.

Sikes lives on a family farm in the Whynot community north of Robbins. His commute to work will take him a little farther from home, passing through Robbins on his way to Carthage and back.

The change leaves a bittersweet taste in Sikes' mouth. He said he put his whole heart into the work in Robbins as he helped the town, its employees and commissioners through the transitional year moving to the manager/council form of government.

"The board has been very supportive all the way," Sikes said. "We have accomplished a whole lot together along with the town's employees."

Sikes does have a five-year contract with Robbins, but terms of the contract allow him to resign voluntarily by giving a 30-day notice.

"Actually, I gave 36 days' notice," he said. "Now they will hire a new town manager, and they can do that. They will do it."

The town will have a new advocate in the county seat.

"I will still be pulling for Robbins," Sikes said. "I always will be. I want only the best for them."

Bell said she is not worried about her town's future, though she hates to see Sikes leave.

"I have confidence in the people of Robbins," Bell said. "Our town workers have always done a lot more than they are getting paid for. We will make it out. That is what Robbins has always done."

Contact John Chappell at 783-5841 or by e-mail at jchappell@thepilot.com.