The following are my notes and thoughts for each agenda item from the first work session of 2026. I encourage you to comment below or email me at reedforcavespring@gmail.com if you have any questions or concerns. To get updates any time I post, please subscribe to my Kristi Reed | Cave Spring City Council Post 3 blog through follow.it.
Adjustments
No special adjustments this month. All adjustments are related to leak insurance
City Manager Hiring Process and Roles
The current city manager resigned in October. Notice of the resignation was posted on the city’s Facebook page on Oct. 24, 2025 and a Rome News Tribune article in which the city manager was interviewed about his decision ran on Oct. 27, 2025.
On Dec. 29, 2025, the city manager provided council with an updated job description which he distributed to the Rome Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Municipal Association. I shared this job listing on my blog and my Cave Spring City Council Post 3 Facebook page on Dec. 29, 2025. Others shared the job listing as well. The job posting was added to the Rome Chamber website on Dec. 30, 2025 and was added to the GMA website on Jan. 5, 2026. As of the end of business on Jan. 6, 2026, it had not been shared on the city’s website nor on the city’s Facebook page (UPDATE: It was posted on the website the evening of Jan. 6, 2026 after the meeting). Effectively, even though the city manager resigned in October 2025, the position has only been advertised for just over a week.
In an interview with the Rome News Tribune (published on Jan. 1, 2026), the city manager was quoted as saying:
“We’ll disseminate (applications) as we receive them to Council,” Mclemore said. “I will have a meeting targeting early February to review candidates, schedule interviews and get those dates set up. From there, I will narrow that down to two or three candidates, potentially for a second round of interviews, and then move forward to a selection process.”
The city manager also listed his city email address as the email to which applications should be sent.
I asked for the hiring process and roles to be added to the Jan. 6 work session agenda for the following reasons:
- There has been a significant delay in posting this job opening (from Oct. 24, 2025 to Dec. 29, 2025). We need to take action to distribute this job posting as widely as possible to ensure we have a good pool of applicants in a timely manner. During the work session, I asked that the job be added to LinkedIn and Indeed and reiterated previous requests to have it added to the city’s website and Facebook page.
- According to the city charter, it is the responsibility of the city council to hire and supervise the city manager. It is up to council to set a meeting to review candidates and determine who will be interviewed and when. We need to focus on completing that very important task.
- I worked with city personnel to create an email address (careers@cityofcavespring.com) to use in the job listing. Applications sent to this address will go to all members of council. This will ensure everyone is immediately notified and has ample time to review the applications. I presented this to council during the work session and the job listings will be updated accordingly.
I have reposted the job opening with the new email. I encourage you to share it within your network and help us find the best candidate for this very important job.
Payroll Administrator/Assistant to City Manager Hiring Process
City Council was notified on Dec. 17, 2025, that the person in this position would be retiring. I asked for this item to be placed on the agenda so that we could learn when and how this job vacancy will be filled. As this person will be working with the new city manager, the current city manager suggested we delay posting this job opening for a few weeks so that we will hopefully be closer to hiring a new city manager who may want to have input regarding filling this position.
AdventHealth EMS -Community Center Request
AdventHealth has requested use of the community center at no cost for a banquet. It was noted during the discussion that AdventHealth has been a good partner for the city in that they have donated equipment to the city and have supported the DDA.
Website Update
All government websites must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In 2024, the Department of Justice provided specific guidance that all government websites, apps, and digital services must meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. State and local governments with populations of 50,000 or greater must comply with this rule by April 24 of this year. Those with populations under 50,000 have until April 26, 2027.
The city’s website contractor submitted a proposal for making the city’s website accessible. I had several questions about the proposal and had asked for this item to be placed on the agenda to get an update on those questions. We received the answers to those questions this afternoon prior to the work session.
At this point, we need to develop a plan to make sure the city’s website is accessible to all and we will work to identify the resources necessary to make that happen.
Authorized Check Signers
Joyce Mink, Baker Harbin and Dennis Shoaf will serve as the authorized check signers.
City Communication Plan
I asked for this item to be placed on the agenda because the city does not currently have a formal communications plan. I believe strongly that this should be rectified. A communication plan defines what information will be shared, when it will be shared and how it will be shared.
The city’s website should be the most authoritative source of information for city-related matters. The city also shares information on their Facebook page, but social media should not be used in lieu of an official communications channel.
I believe we need a plan to ensure all city communications are accurate, timely, accessible, and compliant with Georgia law.
I have volunteered to lead this effort and I will be sharing a draft plan with council this week.
Chair/Vice Chair discussion
This will be voted on during the regular session next week. Dennis Shoaf was nominated as chair and Joyce Mink as vice chair.
Appointments
- Attorney - Winston Gammon will serve as the city’s attorney
- Engineer - Turnipseed is the engineer for current projects.
- Judge - The city will continue with Judge Steven Burkhalter
- DDA Liaison - Dennis Shoaf volunteered.
The following committee appointments were also decided:
- Public Safety Committee - Kristi Reed and Baker Harbin
- Financial Committee - Dennis Shoaf and Joyce Mink
- Water and Sewer Committee - Charles Jackson and Baker Harbin
- Oversight Committee - Kristi Reed and Joyce Mink
Holiday Designations
The list of 11 holidays observed by the city is unchanged from last year.
LMIG
City council needs to provide a list of project recommendations by the end of the month for using available Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant funds.
Audit Report
The annual audit by Williamson & Co. CPA will be presented this month or next. My main question upon reading the draft audit is whether an audit of our internal control process has ever been done. The auditors did not express an opinion on the effectiveness of the city’s internal control process. The internal control processes help prevent fraud, detect errors and ensure taxpayer funds are being responsibly managed. These processes include:
- division of duties to ensure checks and balances
- adequate physical and digital access control
- updated authorization and approval policies
- physical audits to ensure all assets and inventory are accounted for
Currently there is no formal documentation for these processes, so this will be assigned as a priority task for the next city manager.
Executive Session
The following items were discussed in executive session:
- Discussion Surrounding City Manager’s Current Role and Contract
- Property Discussion
GFL
The council returned to open session to discuss the city’s waste management contractor. The city manager has contacted GFL to relay citizen concerns and requested a meeting with a GFL representative to discuss these issues.
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