UPDATE: Macon-Bibb approves department head recommendations

Commissioners voted to approve the mayor’s recommendations at their meeting Tuesday night. The new department heads are listed below:

• Sonja Adams – Animal Welfare
• Spencer Hawkins – Emergency Management
• Marvin Land – Public Works
• Reginald Moore – Parks & Recreation
• Janice Ross – Clerk of Commission
• Robert Ryals – Facilities Management
• Captain Donnie Self – E-911

41NBC’s Alexa Rodriguez will be speaking to a few of the new leaders and bring you details about their plans for the departments tonight on the news at 6.

Macon-Bibb Mayor Robert Reichert announced his recommendations for several county department head positions Tuesday morning.

He presented seven department head recommendations to Macon-Bibb’s Committee of the Whole. He said early retirements is the reason the majority of these positions need to be filled. Commissioners have a week to review the candidates before making a decision next week. County spokesman Chris Floore said Committee of the Whole will vote in pre-commission next Tuesday. If it passes, it will go for a full commission vote that evening.

Department head recommendations are listed below:

Sonja Adams is nominated to serve as the Director of Animal Welfare. She is currently serving as the interim director and previously served as an Animal Welfare Officer. She’s also been an E911 Operator and Dispatcher for the City of Macon and a paramedic for the Oconee Regional Emergency Service.

Spencer Hawkins is recommended for the position of Director of Macon-Bibb County Emergency Management Agency. He is currently the department’s interim director. He’s previously served as a department deputy director. Hawkins has experience in many different emergency management roles during Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jeanne in 2004 and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. 

Marvin Land is nominated for the Director of Public Works. He’s been serving as the interim director for the past few months. He’s also been assistant director since 2013. Land has two and a half decades of public works experience and has worked in a variety of positions in the Bibb County Engineering/Public Works Department. 

Reginald Moore is recommended for the position of Director of Macon-Bibb Parks and Recreation. He is currently the department’s interim director. He’s also worked as the assistant director previously. He’s served as the Special Operations manager, the Athletic Coordinator for Parks and Recreation and the Senior Administrative Officer for the former City of Macon.

Janice Ross is nominated for Macon-Bibb Clerk of Commission. She’s currently serving as the interim clerk of commission and has previously served a assistant clerk of commission and training and events coordinator for the consolidated government. Prior to consolidation, Ross worked with the Bibb County Board of Commissioners for almost 10 years.

Robert Ryals is recommended for Director of the Facilities Management Department after serving as its interim director and assistant director. He’s also served as the Assistant Director and Lead Electrician for the former Bibb County’s Buildings and Properties Department. 

Captain Donnie Self is nominated to lead the E-911 Department. He’s served for the Macon-Bibb County Fire Department since 1987. Capt. Self is ARFF certified, NIMS certified, an EMT I, a Safety Officer and Inventory Asset Manager, a Haz-Mat Tech and Fire Officer Management certified. 

The only department that did not have a department head recommended Tuesday was IT. Floore said Assistant County Manager Charles Coney has been running the department for the time being.