“I recently watched my grandson play ball for the first time. He’s 11 and he’s been playing since he was 5. I’ve missed a heck of a lot.” — City Manager Jim Pennington
Peachtree City’s city manager, Dr. James L. Pennington, has announced that in mid-June he will retire from the position he has held for four years.
Pennington and his wife, Dee, who teaches at Fayetteville Elementary School, plan to relocate to South Carolina after the end of the school year to be near Pennington’s daughter and her family. Dee recently tendered her resignation from the Fayette County School System.
“It’s a decision my wife and daughter have been talking about for the last three years and my wife and I have been working on for a year and a half,” Pennington said. “In November we decided it was time.”
Now age 71, Pennington said he has been involved “in this work for more than 40 years. Most of the things I wanted to accomplish in Peachtree City have been done and other things are in place.”
Pennington came to Peachtree City in March of 2011 with 32 years of experience as a professional city manager in several municipalities around the southeastern United States, including Hartsville, S.C., Lauderhill, Fla., Paducah, Ky., and Fayetteville, Ark. He holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from Xavier University and a Doctor of Education degree from Nova Southeastern University.
“The question was, when do you want to let go,” Pennington said of the conversation that led to the decision. With the decision in November, the couple found a house in South Carolina in December. “I decided in early March it was time to tell the City Council and Dee had to tell the school system.”
For Pennington, the move to South Carolina to be near his daughter and two grandchildren was obvious.
“I recently watched my grandson play ball for the first time,” Pennington said. “He’s 11 and he’s been playing since he was 5. I’ve missed a heck of a lot.”
Reflecting on the decision to move on, Pennington in reference to Peachtree City and city employees said, “It was a hard decision. You put a lot into this job. My biggest problem, it’s a wonderful group of people and I think the world of them. I ask them [to do something], and they accomplish it. I’m very proud of them.”
Commenting on the ongoing national search for a permanent police chief to fill the position vacated by former Chief William McCollom, Pennington said he hopes to take care of the new hire before he leaves in June.
“If not, it will be in capable hands,” he said.
Whether the search for a new police chief or the one that will lead to the hiring of the next city manager, Pennington said the City Council establishes the search process.
“The search (process) belongs to the council to make that determination, whether locally or from the outside.”
Mayor Vanessa Fleisch in response to Pennington’s retirement said, “I would like to thank Jim for his service to our wonderful community. I hope he and Dee enjoy the time they will be able to spend with their grandchildren in the coming years.”
Fleisch indicated the city will begin searching for a new city manager this summer.
