Hiram’s city manager Barry Atkison announced his resignation during the council’s November regular meeting last week.
Hiram’s council met for a special session on November 6 and voted to accept Atkison’s resignation effective December 31, as presented by Atkison. Council Member Bookout moved that Mayor Philyaw and Councilman Moran be given the responsibility to explore with existing personnel the possibility of serving as an interim city manager until the city can hire a permanent city manager. The motion was passed.
Hiram’s charter calls for a city manager to be appointed. Atkison was chosen from a pool of three finalists by Mayor Teresa Philyaw and council members to fill the vacancy left by the city’s first manager Robbie Rokovitz, who left in September of last year.
“The whole council was very pleased when we interviewed him,” Ms. Philyaw commented at the time on the city’s website. “We felt that he really wanted to be a part of our community, and that he would work hard for Hiram...while always remaining mindful and conservative with our finances.”
But Hiram’s previous regime and the current one continue to struggle with the council-city manager relationship. Atkison’s departure comes just seven months since his appointment.
Said Mayor Philyaw, contacted by phone after Sunday’s special session, “We respect his decision to resign and decided to accept it. This is what the council decided,” she said.
Philyaw said she hoped a permanent replacement could be found by early next year.
Atkison gave his reasons for leaving in a long prepared statement to the council, later made available in a press release. “Although it was my intention and desire to work with this elected body... unfortunately, I have come to conclusion that intentions and desires are not enough. The reality has sunk in seven-months into this journey that my leadership style does not blend well with this elected body...I have made the choice not to remain the City Manager. I am choosing to seek a better fit for my leadership style and abilities where I can make a more positive impact on the organization. I truly desire an environment where it is okay to respectfully disagree and to always, always work for the betterment of the quality of life for our residents, our businesses, our employees and for future generations. This job is really bigger than any one of us. But, it would be a mistake to think that the decisions that are being made are not critical to the future of the City of Hiram and every stakeholder associated with it.”
Atkison began as the city’s manager in April and succeeded Hiram’s first city manager in its history, Robbie Rokovitz, who left the city after three years in 2015 to pursue another opportunity in the private sector.
The council hired Rokovitz in August of 2012 after changing the city’s charter to create a manager-council form of government, as is the case with Dallas.
Former manager Rokovitz cautioned on exiting last year that the council-manager form of governing the city adopted still needs work. “I think...they’re still struggling with the understanding of what the council-manager form of government is...and the lack of understanding of a council-manager form of government is not advantageous for operations; they’ve got to get that understood or they’re going to have a hard time keeping a city manager -- and it’s in the best interest of the city to have a long-term city manager and not have a revolving door,” Rokovitz said. And some discord had emerged among council members leading into the last election over use of available SPLOST and reserve funds toward downtown infrastructure projects.
Atkison said recent down-sizing efforts coupled with shrinking revenue will countermine the city’s efforts to thrive in Paulding’s future.
“Most of the budgetary cuts to date have been aimed at employment levels, employee training, and employee benefits. In the last seven- months, the city has lost seven very capable and well-trained employees. These employees are not being replaced,” Atkison said. “Currently the city has expenditures in excess of revenues at a level of approximately $250,000 per year. This is in spite of the staffing reductions that have been made. We are also being advised that employee healthcare costs will increase somewhere between 8 and 20 percent this year. For every reduction we have made, we have had an offsetting increase in costs. Therefore, the choices are clear: find additional revenue sources in order to optimize service delivery; or, continue to reduce staff size/reduction in service delivery. There are no other choices. This council has a daunting task ahead that will include tough decisions...decisions as to Hiram’s future that lead to our growth and development on pace with the development of Paulding County.... Or, we will...become a non-factor in the future growth of Paulding County. Hiram is a City with an Identity Crisis. It is time for a cohesive vision that lays out a clear direction for Hiram’s future.”
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.

Hiram’s city manager Barry Atkison announced his resignation during the council’s November regular meeting last week. Atkison’s resignation comes just seven months after his appointment. (Photo: R. Grant)