THOMASVILLE — At the end of a daylong Tuesday retreat, Thomasville City Council members agreed hiring a city manager is a priority.

The two city managers since 1994 also have served as general utilities superintendent. The council wants to split the duties, making the utilities superintendent subordinate to the city manager — a move city attorney Tim Sanders would require a charter change but not Georgia General Assembly approval.

Council member Todd Mobley suggested allowing a new city manager to participate in the search for a utilities superintendent.

Until Tuesday, the council experienced a “bit of a overhang of a change coming,” Council member Jay Flowers said.

Council member David Hufstetler said several times during the retreat that separating the two jobs was his No. 1 campaign promise. Voters agreed and elected him in November 2017, Hufstetler pointed out.

Toward the end of the Tuesday session, Mobley said hiring a city manger and reviewing the city charter should be the first order of business for the council.

Keith Bass, interim utilities superintendent, said he is committed to helping the council with searches for both positions

“A lot of my concerns are alleviated,” said Kha McDonald, interim city manager.

McDonald, head of city human resources, was appointed interim city manager effective Jan 1.

Flowers said the council working together “and not pushing against each other is important. … We all agree we need a search firm involved.”

He said the city should have the best city manager and not necessarily someone in the market.

Flowers thinks the November election, when Mobley and Hufstetler ousted two incumbent council members, revealed a mandate to separate the two positions.

“It will clarify roles and how they work,” Flowers said.

The council must be united in the front presented to the community, Mobley said.