City Manager: Larry H. Hanson
P.O. Box 1125
216 E. Central Avenue
Valdosta, GA 31603-1125
Phone: (229) 259-3500
Fax: (229) 259-5411
E-mail address: hanson@valdostacity.com
Official Speaker
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Executive Secretary/City Clerk: Teresa Bolden
E-mail address: tbolden@valdostacity.com
Admin. Secretary/Associate City Clerk: Shirley Britt
E-mail address: sbritt@valdostacity.com
Duties
The City Manager is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Mayor and City Council. As chief administrative officer of the city, the City Manager is directly responsible for the efficient administration of all city government departments.
The duties and powers of the City Manager include enforcing all laws and ordinances; appointing and/or dismissing all department heads; recommending measures, ordinances, and legislation necessary for efficient operation of the city; preparing the city's recommended budget; informing the Mayor and Council of the city's financial position; and other such duties as may be required by ordinance or resolution of the Mayor and City Council.
To fulfill these duties, the City Manager is aided by an organization of ten city departments. The talent and skills of approximately 715 city employees are under the immediate direction of the department heads appointed by and responsible to the City Manager.
Biography
Larry Hanson currently serves as City Manager for the City of Valdosta, a position he has held since July of 1995. Prior to that, he served as Assistant City Manager, Director of Community Affairs, and Director of Parks and Recreation. He began his career with the City of Valdosta as a part-time employee in 1975 and has worked all levels of the organization in his career. As City Manager, he oversees 11 departments, 755 employees, and an 85 million dollar budget.
Larry is a graduate of Valdosta State University and Valdosta High School. He is a graduate of Leadership Georgia, was a member of the charter class of Leadership Lowndes and twice served as its President. He has served on the executive committees of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce and United Way. Larry has also supported a long list of other community organizations ranging from Hospice of South Georgia to the Jimmy Carter Habitat for Humanity Work Project. In 2001, Larry served as Campaign Chairman for the Valdosta and Lowndes County United Way campaign which raised over $1,300,000. On a State level, Larry serves on the Georgia Municipal Association Board of Directors, the Georgia Municipal Association Legislative Policy Council, and has served as Chairman of the Georgia Municipal Association’s Revenue and Tax Finance Committee. Larry is also the immediate past-President of the Georgia City-County Manager’s Association. He has received numerous awards for his leadership and public service. The most recent of those awards include the Loyce W. Turner Outstanding Public Official Award from Valdosta State University in 2003 and the Carl Vinson Institute of Government/Georgia Trend Magazine Excellence in Public Service Award in 2004. Recently he was selected by the University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government to conduct training in China on Federal, State, and local government in Georgia.
Larry has two children, a son and a daughter. He also serves as a deacon at First Christian Church.