Hiram’s Council approve Palmer as permanent city manager

Last week Hiram City Council members voted to elevate Interim City Manager Jody Palmer to the permanent position after he’d served since November as interim manager. Palmer replaces former city manager Barry Atkison, who resigned December 2 after barely eight months on the job.
Atkison began as the city’s manager last April and succeeded Hiram’s first city manager under the new charter, Robbie Rokovitz, who left the city after three years in 2015 to pursue another opportunity in the private sector.
Atkison gave his reasons for leaving in a lengthy prepared statement to the council, later made available in a press release, citing a clash in management styles and his belief that recent down-sizing efforts coupled with shrinking revenue will countermine the city’s efforts to thrive in Paulding’s future.
Previously Atkison served as Cedartown’s city manager from 2002-04. He came to the Hiram city manager position from Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. in Marietta. Atkison announced his decision to resign during the council’s regular November meeting and his resignation date was moved up from December 31 to December 2.
Hiram’s City Council held a special session and appointed longtime Director of Public Works/Zoning Administrator Palmer to serve as Interim City Manager as of December 3, 2016. Palmer had been in his job as Director of Public Works/Zoning Administrator since 2006.
In that role he managed day to day operations, working with facility management, public infrastructure (roads, water, & sanitation), parks & recreation management, contract management, zoning and land use administration, and personnel management.
Palmer also currently serves as chairman of the Paulding County Planning Commission, which makes recommendations on zoning and development plans in Hiram and unincorporated Paulding to the board of commissioners and to Hiram’s City Council.