Jay Wright,

head of Fayette County's Information Systems Department, has resigned

his job effective today.

Wright, who

has worked with the county for 13 years, will take a new post with Ultimate

Security, a Fayetteville company that provides telephone service, security

and fire alarm systems.

"It was

just a career move that I felt I needed to make," said Wright, who

will work as the company's chief information officer, working with technicians

in the field.

Wright heads

up the county's technology programs, including maintenance of its computers

and telephone and paging systems, as well as overseeing its Web site.

Under his direction, Fayette has developed a reputation for staying on

the cutting edge.

"He's

going to be sorely missed," said County Administrator Chris Cofty.

"I hate to see him leave, but I wish him all the best."

Cofty said

assistant director Russell Prince, who handles technical services for

the department, will be named interim director and will be the leading

candidate to replace Wright permanently.

"We're

not immediately going to go out and seek a replacement," he said.

"Jay recruited some very talented people and I'm confident [the vacancy]

can be addressed internally."

While he will

miss working with the county, Wright said, he is looking forward to new

challenges.

His is the

second resignation of a department head in recent months. Former finance

director Emory McHugh also recently left the county to work with the Georgia

Regional Transportation Authority.