Albany City Manager Sharon Subadan: Government not a popularity contest

ALBANY — Detractors may have issues with the way Albany City Manager Sharon Subadan does business, but no one who’s even slightly paying attention can accuse Subadan of taking a timid approach to governance.

In her first six months as day-to-day manager of the 1,000-employee Albany city government, Subadan has overseen an impressive list of accomplishments. And while many of those projects were at various stages of completion before she took office, Subadan has set an agenda to get things moving.

“Make no mistake: This has been a team effort,” Subadan said. “The mayor and the City Commission have been instrumental in all the things we’ve done in the six months I’ve been here, and our employees, now that we’ve shown how much we value them, have really gotten on board.

“I’ve been amazed, too, that the community, everywhere I go, has been so accepting. Actually, I can’t believe six months have gone by. I’m really impressed with how concerned the citizens here are, and we want to work to earn their trust. I think we’re just starting to tap into the tremendous potential here. I want the citizens to be reassured, we’re just beginning.”

Subadan credits her predecessor, former interim City Manager Tom Berry, with setting the stage for her to settle in and start moving things forward.

“Tom played a big part in blending the culture of utilities with the city government, and he pushed forward a very challenging budget that put everyone on notice that they’d have to work hard to meet specific challenges,” Subadan said. “I think he positioned us well for the future.”

Subadan has wasted no time in spurring employees and elected government officials toward progress that has, in the past, bogged down at the administrative level.

“I want the community to understand that, while they may not understand some of the things that we do at times, I promise there is a reason behind it,” she said. “Sometimes they may view an action like they would a piece of a tapestry. If you see a tiny piece of the tapestry, it often doesn’t make sense. Some of the actions we take may seem random, but they’re all part of the overall tapestry.

“I want the community to buy into what we’re doing and to be proud of their city again. But I solicit their patience. Sometimes the things we do are building blocks that lead us to another part of the tapestry. When you’re running the day-to-day operations of a city, you can’t just flip a switch and get there. You have to look to the next day, and the next and the next.”

Since Subadan moved into the city manager’s position on June 22, Albany has:

— Agreed to a plan that will allow for construction of a second, privately-funded, hotel downtown;

— Approved use of a rotating portion (up to $5 million) of the city’s Job-Enhancement fund to spur downtown redevelopment;

— Purchased property on Front Street and Pine Avenue for public/private business development;

— Seen the rebuilt Broad Avenue Memorial Bridge open for traffic after six years;

— Purchased the former Synovus Bank property on Pine Avenue as the future home of the city’s utilities authority and other government offices;

— Completed sale of the former Albany Heights building to an Atlanta firm that plans a residential/retail development;

— Used $1.25 million of the revolving portion of the Job-Enhancement fund to entice Albany vascular surgeon Dr. Tripp Morgan to build and operate a microbrewery downtown;

— Approved a budget that lowers the city’s millage rate;

— Decreased the city’s payroll by 200 employees;

— Initiated a rebranding project;

— Spearheaded efforts to send a trailer of emergency supplies to flood victims in South Carolina;

— Hired Latoya Cutts as the city’s new downtown manager;

— Completed a fiber ring that will allow the neighboring South Georgia Regional Information Technology Authority to provide high-speed Internet services in seven rural counties;

— Created a collaboration with the local Boys and Girls Clubs to manage a full-service recreational facility in East Albany that will include a pool and a water splash park;

— Approved construction of a new fire station building in East Albany;

— Is set to sign off on the completion of the Villas at Broadway elderly village, commissioned by the Department of Community and Economic Development utilizing federal HUD funds;

— Added former Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital employee Annette Allen as part of Subadan’s management team;

— Approved expansion of utilities projects outside the city and county limits.

The latter item, approved by the City Commission early in Subadan’s tenure, is already being utilized in a way that could pay significant dividends for the city. Utility Board employees are putting fiber infrastructure in place that will initially bring as many as 150 residents in Lee County’s Oakland Plantation development on board as paying customers, which will significantly enhance utilities revenue.

“That’s why the commission approved that legislation,” Subadan said. “We have the capability to go into unserved and under-served areas like the Oakland Plantation development and provide services. We have the opportunity to provide high-speed Internet for the citizens there, and we would be foolish not to offer that service.”

While the list of city accomplishments during her tenure is impressive, Subadan said there won’t be a period of people patting themselves on the back.

“I want to reiterate that I am by no means taking credit for all of the city’s accomplishments,” the city manager said. “This has been a total team effort. But I’m pretty sure everyone understands we have lots of work yet to do. For the remainder of this fiscal year, we’re going to focus on revenue generation, our rebranding efforts and the development of downtown.”

Subandan said items of focus during the coming months include infrastructure development and maintenance — on roads, streetlights, sidewalks, traffic signals, sewer and water lines; moving the utilities authority to its new offices; completing the Thornton Gym pool and splash park; completing the transportation center that’s long been called a “multimodal” site; making improvements at Southwest Georgia Regional Airport, and working with state officials to facilitate transportation improvements.

“I can tell you this, if there are projects — like the transportation center — that have been approved for funding and are ready to move forward, we’re going to move forward,” Subadan said. “I’m appalled that that project has been ongoing for 18 years now and we’ve lost millions of dollars in funding because of inaction. We’re not going to do that any longer.

“I’m really proud to be here in Albany. I feel blessed by the collaborative effort of the citizens, our employees and the elected officials here. I feel like I’m in a very good place at a very good time. In a leaner, more effective government, you have to break down silos and work together. You can’t have 23 separate departments working alone. We’re one city. And we’re going to work together for the citizens of this community.”

As for the detractors?

“I’m not here to win a popularity contest,” Subadan said. “I know that even if we make the best decisions, all of them are not going to be popular. It’s not always easy making difficult decisions, but that’s what I was hired to do. I have to be concerned with the greater good, the bigger picture. I have a heart, and I have a family, and I do care about things. But leadership can’t succumb to emotion.”

Sharon Subadan has brought a “let’s-get-things-done” management approach to her position as Albany’s city manager. Subadan has been in her current position for six months. (Staff Photo: Carlton Fletcher)