GAINESVILLE – The Gainesville City Council unanimously approved Bryan Lackey as the new City Manager at their voting meeting Tuesday evening.
Lackey had been announced as the sole finalist two weeks earlier by Mayor Danny Dunagan.
Lackey, a 1995 graduate of the University of Georgia, has been with Gwinnett County government since 1995, serving most recently as the Director for Planning and Development for the state’s second most populated county since 2009.
But some say it’s his time spent as Gwinnett County’s Division Director for Stormwater Management that makes him the perfect fit for Gainesville.
“I know the city is embarking on the stormwater utility which will go a long way in trying to meet those infrastructure needs,” Lackey said when asked about the traffic nightmare a heavy rain can create on Green Street.
Heavy weekend rains, combined with falling leaves that can quickly clog drainage openings, made driving downtown a challenge for several days. “That’s one of those quality-of-life-type issues that we need to address…to make sure people can get around Gainesville and that their property is protected.”
Lackey said, however, that traffic –with or without heavy rains – can be a sign of good things.
“Having traffic is a great sign of success,” he said. “It means the secret on Gainesville is out. People want to be here: they want to live here and work here and play here, but it’s got to be addressed.”
He said his top three priorities were, at the moment: transportation, strong public safety and community development, “to make Gainesville a place where people want to come to play, that they want to come to hangout on weekends and evenings. Those are maybe the first three things that I’m really going to be focused on.”
Lackey will assume City Manager duties on Monday, November 30th.
Interim City Manager Melody Marlowe said she feels Lackey is a great choice to administer the city’s day-to-day operations.
Marlowe, the city’s Chief Financial Officer, took the Interim position in July following the departure of longtime City Manager Kip Padgett. Padgett accepted a similar position in North Carolina.
She says she’ll spend the first week or so of Lackey’s administration helping him get familiar with all the varied aspects of the city before returning to her role as CFO.
“He’ll find out quickly there’s a lot of exciting things going on!” Marlowe said with a smile. “I’m excited and know he’s going to be the perfect fit for our city.”
TIME TO MAKE THE DONUTS
That was once an advertising slogan used nationally by Dunkin’ Donuts, but it’s now one step closer to being a reality after the City Council gave unanimous approval for a special-use permit for drive-thru sales at the proposed restaurant.
To be cited in the former Yonah Burger location on Thompson Bridge Road across from Publix, the 2500-square foot building will only see minor renovations before the national donut chain begins operations.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2015/11/347270/gainesville-council-approves-new-city-manager