Monday, June 4, 2023–6:44 p.m.

-David Crowder, WRGA News-

The City of Cave Spring has received 12 applications for the newly created city manager position, according to Mayor Rob Ware on Monday.

The deadline to apply was on Friday.

The next step in the process will be to narrow the list down to the three top candidates, who will be interviewed later this month or early July.

The goal is to have the selection of the city manager go to the city council for a vote in August.

Local legislation was passed during the last session of the Georgia General Assembly and then signed by Governor Brian Kemp, which changes the Cave Spring City Charter, allowing for the hiring of a city manager.

The position of mayor, currently held by Rob Ware, would be eliminated with the city manager handling the day-to-day operations of the city. That will include a $5.1 million dollar sewer upgrade, plans for the former Cave Spring Elementary School, public safety concerns, and the ability to guide development while balancing the budget were also cited as considerations for making the change.

According to the job description, the city manager will be responsible for the overall administration of city government, including personnel, budgets, purchasing, grants, and pensions.

Cave Spring currently has five elected council members and an elected mayor, which is a part-time position. Under the previous charter, the mayor was the chief administrator. 

The council began discussions in-earnest about making the change back in January, with all five council members and Mayor Ware expressing support. Council member Joyce Mink explained during one of those early meetings, why the change was needed.

“When I first started on the council, it was not quite as complicated, but the more I have watched what has happened, the more the mayor has to know to successfully administer the town,” she said. “We’re lucky because Rob has a background in city management, but a mayor without such a background might not be able to handle the sewer project properly. You have to know what the national laws are, and the different state and national grants. It takes a lot of training and background in order to do that.”

A discussion regarding the city manager is one of the agenda items for a city council work session, which is Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Cave Spring City Hall.