WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — After months of discussion and debate, Warner Robins has a new city charter.
Governor Brian Kemp signed House Bill 1247 on July 29th.
State Representative Heath Clark calls the new charter a modernization needed for a city that just keeps on growing.
He says after years of discussion, the city will finally hire an administrator.
Last October, UGA's Carl Vinson Institute of Government released a study showing Warner Robins as Georgia's only mid-sized city without a city manager or administrator.
"Over the years, I think we got into some confusion about who was in charge and who do you listen to and who do you follow," says Mayor Randy Toms.
The new charter states all department heads will report to the city administrator, who then reports to the mayor.
Mayor Randy Toms says he thinks this will end the confusion.
"I think it's a real positive for employees because I think this does away with the ambiguity that they have faced for many years."
Clark says it was time for some updates.
"Even before I got into office, people were talking and debating and wanting a city administrator or some kind of city manager, some kind of position like that, and I think Warner Robins has been in a transition from small town to midsize city."
He says now, the city is comparable to others of similar size.
"They’re kind of in the same mold as some of the other cities that were in that analysis of cities that are similar in size and services that Warner Robins provides," says Clark.
Toms says going forward, an administrator will allow the mayor to focus on bigger issues and projects instead of handling day to day operations.
"I think the mayor should be about helping economic development and helping making sure the Base operations, the relationships are good there and building the city and selling the city," he says. "To have one person that is in tune with everything going on in all the departments that I can call and say, 'Where are we on this?' and I just think that that helps align."
As for the people in Warner Robins, Both Toms and Clark say the change will allow the city to answer and address their questions and concerns faster.
That's because the information from different departments should be consolidated with the city administrator.
"The city government can be more responsive to constituent needs, just a better, efficient government for the city of Warner Robins," says Clark.
Councilmen Charlie Bibb and Kevin Lashley have both been supporters of changes to the charter since they were elected last year.
"I think it's a positive for the city because it just gives a clear chain of command," says Bibb.
Toms says with this new charter, council members will focus more on legislating and providing checks and balances to the mayor.
Bibb says he's happy with that.
"That's what I ran on when I ran for City Council Post 2 was to legislate and appropriate and allow the chain of command to work."
"There is a system of checks and balances in there and if things start to go awry, we can call into question different things that are going on," says Lashley.
He agrees that it was time for an update and says a lot of the inspiration for the new charter came from Houston County Commission's charter.
"The bulk of the charter has actually existed since the '70s, so things have changed a lot since then. Our operating systems have changed a lot and the power structure, and not to mention the population alone and the size of the departments we have within the city have changed dramatically," says Lashley.
Toms says they have already received lots of applications for the city administrator position.
The position will remain open until it is filled with a negotiable salary of $100,000.
We also reached out to Councilmen Larry Curtis, Daron Lee, Clifford Holmes and Keith Lauritsen to hear their thoughts on the new charter, but have not received a response.