Bass

THOMASVILLE — Although the City of Thomasville has no city manager or utilities superintendent at this time, a proposed change in the city charter would specify roles when the positions are filled.

The last two Thomasville city managers also served as utilities superintendent.

Alan Carson, who has been named city manager, made it known he would not accept the job unless the utilities superintendent reports to the city manager, said Tim Sanders, city attorney.

The charter will be amended to allow the city manager to hire a utilities superintendent, who will be under the supervision, direction and control of the city manager.

In the absence of a city manager/utilities superintendent since Jan. 1, city council members have discussed whether a superintendent should report to the council or to the city manager.

Earlier this year, the council hired Keith Bass, former president and chief executive officer of Electric Cities of Georgia and Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia distribution, to come to Thomasville to hire a utilities superintendent.

Bass, who entered a six-month contract that ended in September, did not hire a utilities superintendent. He told the council repeatedly that the utilities superintendent should report to the city manager. 

“I am glad to learn council has decided to change the charter and remove all ambiguity regarding the reporting structure for the utilities superintendent and city manager,” said Bass, who is retired and lives in Marietta. “This change of the charter was one that probably should have occurred years ago when the positions were combined, and this change will provide a clear delineation of duties, responsibilities and span of control for each position.”

He said that while it might have once been feasible for one person to do both jobs, conditions today make it difficult for one person to devote the necessary time and energy to both crucial positions.

“This reporting structure means the priorities of both general government and utilities will be identical, and the City of Thomasville will continue to work together as Team Thomasville,” Bass said. “Council will not be forced to act as ‘referee’ between two competing executives with two different visions of what Thomasville needs to accomplish. Council will have only ‘one butt to kick’ under this reporting structure.”

At a recent workshop, Sanders presented council members with the schedule for bringing about charter changes and final steps necessary to hire Carson.

Charter changes must be advertised in the Times-Enterprise for three consecutive weeks.

Council is scheduled to consider and vote on charter changes at Nov. 28 and Dec. 10 council meetings.

If the council approves charter changes with the required two readings of an ordinance, the council — at the Dec. 11 — meeting also vote on approval of Carson’s employment contract.

Carson, currently city manager in Lexington, North Carolina, is scheduled to become Thomasville city manager Jan. 7.

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820