Former Lee County Manager Ron Rabun named interim Monroe city manager

MONROE — Two months after former Monroe City Administrator Matthew Chancey left his position to move into private business, Mayor Greg Thompson and the Monroe City Council have voted Ron Rabun, former manager from Lee County, to the interim city manager position.

“We are pleased to place an experienced and qualified candidate at the helm of our city government to handle the day-to-day operations,” Thompson said.

“Mr. Rabun comes to us with a myriad of experience in public administration and was highly recommended.”

Rabun is a native of north Georgia and has served as a city and a county manager in Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and Washington.

Rabun has a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Georgia and is married with three grown children. He is also a U.S. Navy veteran and has recently completed a five-year tour as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Agency for International Development in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I am excited to accept this position and honored that the mayor and council have placed their trust in me to lead this great organization of public servants here at the city of Monroe,” Rabun said. “What is most exciting about this move for me in my career is walking into an organization that is already firing on all cylinders and doing well. The finances are strong. The growth is consistent, and the overall feel of the city is vibrant.”

Rabun said his predecessor “left things in great shape.”

According to reports from Albany, Rabun was terminated from his last position in Lee County after a unanimous 5-0 vote by the Lee County Board of Commissioners in the fall.

The motion was “due to Mr. Rabun’s repeated gross abuse of Lee County ordinance and Mr. Rabun’s failure to follow directions of his employer.”

His issue with Lee County didn’t stop Monroe officials, nor were they surprised when asked (about the issue) after Rabun’s hiring.

“The mayor and council were fully apprised of Mr. Rabun’s prior employment history prior to making their decision, including the circumstances concerning his departure from Lee County,” City Attorney Paul Rosenthal said.

After the council’s decision to hire Rabun, Thompson said, “While we are not yet ready to make a decision about a permanent hire at the city administrator position, I am confident that Mr. Rabun, with his years of experience, will guide our city well through the coming days as we set our sights on long-term growth for our town.”

— Walton Tribune Managing Editor David Clemons contributed to this report.