Villa Rica mayor Leslie McPherson shared the following statement with WLBB Radio on Friday:

“As Mayor, I would like to personally thank the entire team of dedicated staff with the City of Villa Rica for their unwavering commitment to community excellence. These professionals have continued to work tirelessly to carry out the services on behalf of our citizens including several administrators who have stepped up to assume additional roles outside the scope of their original job duties.

The time to bring on board a seasoned, professional Interim City Manager is now. Filling this critical role is needed not only to carry out qualified oversight with day-to-day operations and core projects but to bring about overall stability as I work along with Council to begin the search for a permanent leadership replacement. As Mayor, I have performed my duties within the scope of the City Charter to carry out a professional process to hire an interim City Manager. That process included but was not limited to; assembling an interview panel of experienced community advocates, the hiring of professional consultants for the purpose of acquiring potentially qualified applicant resumes and ultimately a review process that spent hours analyzing qualifications and interviewing applicants. In addition, I kept the full council informed as the process moved forward including offering to provide documentation and answer questions as time progressed. In the end, while applicants carried certain notable strengths there was only one candidate that clearly carried the most accolades of qualifications specifically matched to our interim role needs.

Larry Wood has previously served the City of Villa Rica as its C.F.O., City Manager and a prior Interim City Manager stint briefly after his honorary retirement. Mr. Wood has vast experience with his prior involvement with ongoing City challenges such as water and sewer capacities, general infrastructure, park revitalizations including the V-Plex, Pine Mountain Railroad, facility constructions including The Mill, Waste Water Treatment Plant and the new VR Public Library, key personnel hiring with supervision and multi-million-dollar budgeting both in local government and the corporate arena with Georgia Power. Larry has maintained his local ties in our community even after his initial retirement including his active involvement at Villa Rica First Baptist Church. With a passion to serve and a resume uniquely matched to the needs of Villa Rica, Mr. Woods practiced experience as a City Manager, Project Coordinator, Financial Budget Administrator and local residency in West Georgia capable to respond timely with any afterhours emergencies that could arise, all make him the leading qualifier to serve as Interim City Manager.

I urge my colleagues of the Villa Rica City Council to reconsider their vote in a timely manner. Acknowledging the urgency of the need for practiced administrative stability for staff allowing department heads to resume their original duties without additional responsibilities and the immediate remedy it brings to ultimately serve the citizens of our community, should remain our highest priority. Mr. Larry Wood without question is the most qualified, seasoned professional for the role of interim City Manager. I urge the Council to support my City Charter Obligation which charges me with the responsibility of hiring a qualified manager by confirming this undisputed quality candidate that is ready to serve our community for the betterment of Villa Rica businesses and its residents, alike.”