Two top leaders in Valdosta’s city government have stepped down this week, leaving residents with questions about what happened behind closed doors.
What’s Happening: City Manager Richard Hardy resigned Tuesday night after a two-hour executive session with the city council. Assistant City Manager Catherine Ammons resigned Wednesday at noon.
- Hardy had led the city for three years. His contract had been under review since early September, but city officials have not said why.
- Hardy will work as a consultant for up to six months or until his replacement starts.
Key Term: Executive Session – Executive sessions are official meetings of government bodies that are not open to the public or the press. In Georgia, local governments can only go into executive session to discuss pending real estate matters, personnel issues, and pending litigation.
Between the Lines: Residents at Tuesday’s meeting spoke out against how the resignations were handled. Many said the community should have been able to weigh in before the decision was made.
The Big Picture: When city managers resign suddenly after closed-door meetings, it often signals disagreements with elected officials over policy, budget decisions, or management style. The lack of public explanation has left Valdosta residents in the dark about what led to both departures happening so close together.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
