City Manager Danny Mabry surprised Villa Rica officials Friday -- a holiday for the city -- when he resigned his post of 18 months to take the same position with the city of Bowdon.

Mabry plans to work a one-month notice, but the resignation means Villa Rica will have to begin the process of finding its fifth city manager this decade. Villa Rica officials had not made an announcement as to who would serve as interim city manager once Mabry leaves, but Community Development Manager Eric Lacefield did so between former City Manager Bob Zellner’s departure and Mabry’s hire.

Mabry said the decision to leave was difficult and not one that was made overnight.

“It really was a lifestyle decision,” he said. “I was in the process of evaluating what was important to me as priorities both professionally and personally -- like a lot of people, I do that periodically -- and I just made a determination after some conversations with folks in Bowdon that some of the issues, concerns and problems they have were types of things that I think fit best with what I can do. Philosophically, we were pretty much attuned on style and direction and it came down to a decision that at this point in my career and my life journey that this was going to be a better fit for me.”

Mabry said his decision should not reflect on Villa Rica or the city employees.

“I’ve been received graciously in this community, I’ve made friends here I hope will be friends for a long time, I’ve had great support from those that I worked with, and I’ve been privileged to serve with an outstanding group of employees,” he said. “Villa Rica is going to continue to prosper. When I took the job, my goals were to, of course, work on some very specific projects, primarily some pretty major infrastructure improvements, but also to raise the profile of Villa Rica and have the city thought of among the elite cities in the state of Georgia, and I still think that’s a worthy goal and one that can be achieved.”

Bowdon Mayor Jim Watts, who has known Mabry for nearly 30 years, said Mabry was the city’s first choice for the job. Watts said he has even directed previous city managers to contact Mabry when they had questions about the job.

“He’s always been there for Bowdon even in the different capacities that he has served,” he said.

Mabry said that his experience, particularly his experience dealing with downtown development and water and wastewater projects, has prepared him for the issues Bowdon currently faces. He said he has been involved with downtown development projects in municipalities all over the state and that Carrollton’s Adamson Square underwent a major upgrade project during his time with the city as assistant city manager and city manager. He has also been a part of several upgrade projects on water and wastewater plants in Carrollton and other municipalities, a major project Bowdon officials are working on currently.

“My part of my experiences were to work with local officials as they determined how to finance and implement water and wastewater projects,” he said. “My expertise comes from the side of managing and coordinating.”

Watts said that Mabry’s familiarity with these projects will be an asset to Bowdon in coming years.

“He’s definitely familiar with water and sewage, also with expansion of city limits, downtown development,” he said. “What other credentials would you have to go over to see what kind of experience he brings to Bowdon?”

According to Watts, Mabry will receive a salary of approximately $63,000 annually, including a full benefits package and a $350 monthly allotment for use of his personal vehicle. Watts said that Mabry will also receive an attractive vacation package to help compensate for the substantial salary cut he will take in moving his employment from Villa Rica to Bowdon.

Although willingness to live in Bowdon or its surrounding areas was one requirement Watts stressed during the application process, Mabry, a Carrollton resident, does not plan to move into Bowdon’s city limits.

“I’m within 15 minutes or so of Bowdon,” he said. “I also have certain caregiver responsibilities for elderly parents that I have to take care of, so I feel like I’m close enough to be available any time I’m needed and still fulfill my responsibilities.”

Mabry holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of West Georgia and a master’s in public administration from the University of Georgia. He has served in a number of administrative positions, including director of Municipal Management Services with Keck & Wood Inc., director of Field Services for the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, director of Government Services for the Coastal Regional Development Commission, county manager of Stephens County, and city manager of Garden City. He served nearly two decades as assistant city manager and city manager of Carrollton.

Though only in Villa Rica 18 months, many of the city’s employees had grown fond of Mabry and the fact that he seemed to look out for their best interests. Said one longtime employee upon hearing the news: “He was the best city manager we ever had.”

Villa Rica Mayor J. Collins, who during his re-election campaign last fall said that having Mabry at the helm was one of the reasons he decided to seek another term, said he was “very much saddened” by Mabry’s departure.

“He is a professional in every sense of the word and at this point I can only think about what might have been,” he said. “He brought professionalism to the city manager’s position and that’s something we hadn’t had for a very long time. He made my job easier ... to have somebody sitting in that chair there at City Hall that was responsive and would listen, somebody who wouldn’t just be a puppet. There were times when we disagreed, but I listened to him and he listened to me and I think that’s very important that we have a city manager that can think for himself.”

Mabry’s tenure as city manager follows those of Zellner, Lamar Moody and Steve Russell since 2000. Such high turnover at the position that is meant to handle the day-to-day operations of the city is something Collins said he plans to address.

“Since I’ve been mayor we’ve had three changes at the city manager position, and some of the problems I feel like are leading to these changes I plan on addressing with the council,” he said. “I think each and every person in city government has a role and I think (the solution to the problem) is helping some of our elected officials accept their role. No one person runs city government, not the city manager, not the mayor, not a member of the council, but it’s the collective effort of the whole and we need to do a better job of working together.”

In the short time Mabry has served as city manager, he said he is there are several accomplishments he is proud of, including the fact that the new wastewater plant on the west side of the city has progressed to the point that it is on the cusp of going out to bid for construction, the new pay and classification study that ensures employees are being paid at market value, and the fact that the city has built on and improved its relationship with Douglas County and other statewide officials.

Mabry said his only disappointment is the fact that the Highway 61 project is behind about a year by unforeseen delays caused by additional Federal Highway Administration review requirements. Right-of-way acquisition for the project is scheduled for 2009 and the project should move forward relatively quickly after that is complete.

Overall, Mabry said he feels like he is leaving the city in better shape than he found it, though he doesn’t take full credit for the accomplishments.

“I really do, but I don’t attribute that all to me,” he said. “We’ve been able to do some things, like finish up the V-Plex facility, which was an outstanding facility when I got here and putting the finishing touches on that was an accomplishment, as well as the additional parking downtown with the railroad project. Also, the mayor and council now have a good road map on the Avanti building with a solid architectural study that outlines what will be needed and what it will take to make their own decision on what direction it should go.”

Though the decision on his successor is out of his hands, Mabry said he believes the city manager position in Villa Rica would be an attractive post to someone because of the city’s proximity to Atlanta and its growth potential and the challenges associated with that.

“I think this will always be an attractive position for a number of reasons,” he said. “One, its location. Folks want to live in a community with close access to the metropolitan Atlanta area. Also, I think it will be attractive because even though we’re in a bit of an economic downturn now when that reverses this is going to be a growing community and a challenge for any manager. Of, course people will always look at the stability issue, but I think when they look at the other attributes of the community it will be an attractive position.”

Watts, who has filled the role of city manager since former Interim City Manager Jimmy Meigs left the position in early 2008, said he will be relieved to have the city manager position filled.

“With Danny’s capabilities, the day he hits here is the day I can walk out the door,” he said. “I’m very confident in what he can do.”

Mabry said that he plans to make himself available to assist Villa Rica’s city government even after he starts work in Bowdon to allow a smooth transition.

Bowdon’s city manager position became vacant when Donald Toms left last summer.