TIFTON —
The Tifton City Council voted 3-2 Monday to name current Assistant City Manager Larry Riner to the city manager’s position.
The motion to hire Riner was made by Vice Mayor Johnny Terrell and seconded by Chris Parrott. Terrell, Parrott and Mayor Jamie Cater voted in favor of the appointment, with Marianna Keesee and Julie Smith voting against.
Mayor Jamie Cater had told The Gazette Saturday during a “Meet and Greet” session for the city manager’s candidates that he was anxious to hire the right person for the job because of the challenge of leading Tifton into the future.
“I think you lead from experience, and Larry has actually done the job,” Cater said Monday.
Cater said Riner’s experience in the U.S. Navy added to his qualifications and that while looking over the candidates’ qualifications “We were looking at all the facts.”
Riner has been Tifton’s assistant city manager since 2005 and previously was public works director from 1999 to 2005. He was in the U.S. Navy (Seabees) from 1972 through 1999 and holds a BAS degree in resource and technology management from Troy University.
The other two finalists for the job were Colquitt County Manager Brian Schuler and Oviedo, Fla., City Manager Richard Gestrich.
Gestrich has since accepted another job.
Schuler has been Colquitt County administrator from 2008 – present and was the city manager in Gainesville, Ga., from 2003-2008. He was Assistant City Manager, Gainesville, from 2001-2003 and served as Department Services Director, in Hall County from 1997-2001. He was the director of Planning, in New Castle County, Del., from 1990-1997 and director of Community Development, North Augusta, SC from 1985-1990.
Local News
Council names Riner city manager
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