Ward named finalist for Augusta job

JacksonHeraldTODAY

Email Alerts

Twitter

Facebook

Ward named finalist for Augusta job

Wednesday, December 15. 2010

Jefferson city manager John Ward has been named one of the three finalists for a job in Augusta.

Ward is one of three candidates to be interviewed for the deputy administrator position, according to an Augusta newspaper.

The other top candidates are Doug Smith, assistant city manger at Delray Beach, Fla., and William Shanahan, St. Mary’s city manager. The city reportedly received 155 applications for the position.

Trackbacks

Trackback specific URI for this entry

No Trackbacks

Comments

Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)

#1 lethimgo...please! on 12/15/10 at 06:40 PM [Reply]

Are you serious....Please let him get this and GET out of Jefferson! He has tried to move out of our town then he applies for other jobs. His wife thinks this town is "to small and backwoods". I say please hire him!!!! The City has paid him to go to school and build his resume, now he wants another job. I hope your happy JIM JOINER!!!!!

#1.1 Jeff Martin on 12/16/10 at 12:41 AM [Reply]

He has no intention a leaving here. Just doing it to get pay raise his contract comes up for renewal end a December. Lethimgo is rite. Good Riddance n Hoppy Trails!

#2 jefferson resident on 12/16/10 at 02:34 PM [Reply]

Why would you renew his contract,I say let him move on,if he's a looking so are we.

#3 longshottrouble on 12/16/10 at 02:51 PM [Reply]

Hope he leaves Jefferson. He's only caused probs for City and staff. Many people have left,been fired, been asked to resign because of him and his peeps.

Anyone else want to tell what the real Mr. Ward is like. I know others agree!

#4 Let's be realistic on 12/17/10 at 06:19 AM [Reply]

Come on people pull your head out of your backside !
If a man wants to better himself then he should do so.
As for the backwoods comments and the "only caused probs for City and staff"
crap your proving Mrs. Wards point with your hateful comments !

#4.1 Better? on 12/17/10 at 06:45 PM [Reply]

I can't believe that you think "better himself" means moving from Jefferson to Agusta! I guess you had to come on here and defend youself,but we all here in Jefferson hope you get that job too!

#5 Ashey Broadax on 12/17/10 at 11:20 AM [Reply]

Let's be realistic(Jim Joiner)-Do you pay Jefferson city taxes? God help Augusta.

#6 Petunia on 12/18/10 at 06:33 PM [Reply]

I hope he gets the job. He now has the education to pursue a bigger career. I know he is ambitious and politically savvy. If Mrs Ward craves a bigger city for herself and her husband to promote their charms in, Augusta is for her!I agree wholeheartedly with lethimgo. Why would anyone consider longshottrouble's comment "backwoods" when it was absolutely the truth.

#7 steve on 12/20/10 at 01:19 PM [Reply]

Just an FYI. We better hope he gets the job, because I talked to someone on the council and they said his contract has already rolled over for another year! Apparently, if they want to cancel his contract, they must do so 90 days before the contract expires in Dec. The only problem is the Mayor, Jim Joiner, did not present info to them until Nov. meeting, effectively too late to cancel!

#7.1 That's true but... on 12/22/10 at 07:13 PM [Reply]

Steve, maybe you should go back to that person on council and ask them why they didn't read the actual contract they had John sign.

Why you, or they, would want to get rid of John is beyond me. If he leaves, fine. But getting rid of him after he's gotten this City to the point of being the only government entity in County that's not either furloughing employees, raising taxes or laying off employees.

Some people amaze me. The folks who get on here and just sling mud are something special.

#8 R. Smith on 12/21/10 at 02:03 AM [Reply]

In 2006 Jefferson had borrow over $1M to just continue to operate. Ward took over in 2007 and by the end of the year had the city operating back in the black. He has worked as director of almost all the departments at one time or anohter in order to save the city money. If you go to a event in this town he is there. Congressman Paul Broun just announced that Jefferson was awarded $920,000 that Ward applied for the water system. Over $3M has been awarded to Jefferson under Wards management. Ward can be tough with staff but he has high expectations and expects hard work. If you question his staff's support of his management style or skill talk to any of the directors. We are much better off than when I moved here. Not only does Ward keep the budget balanced but he keeps it in the black and now the city has a reserve. Problems have been removed, lawsuits have been won, and the city is in sound financial condition. Did some people have their toes stepped on? Yes (see above and probably below). Can things continue to improve? Yes. Ward has been successful here. He can continue to be. If he chooses to go to Augusta then I think he will be successful there.

#8.1 Anonymous on 12/22/10 at 05:32 AM [Reply]

Wasn't that the year Ms. Vaughan was hired to audit city finances? If so, she deserves the credit, not Mr. Ward.

#8.1.1 T. Myers on 01/03/11 at 06:59 PM [Reply]

Who do you think hired her? Ward has assmembled an impressive group of Department Directors who are among the best around. I give him credit for building his team who together have made some great improvements despite some on the council fighting change all the way.

#8.2 Eric Nicolaus on 12/22/10 at 09:50 PM [Reply]

Mr. Smith: Why throw facts in the way of the comments made by those above? Why bring up things like a balanced budget without tax increases, the improvements to the recreation department - again recognized as the best in the state, the recent professional certification to the police dapartment - since the certification had been lost 6 or so years ago, or the improving areas of employment (Tiger Direct, Krogers, and more coming), federal grants for water & sewage improvements, grants for the downtown streets improvements, the success of the renovated civic center, etc. Yes, why would anyone want to consider hiring John Ward? The city is certainly ruined because of his wife's supposed comment.

#8.2.1 you would not know the truth on 12/23/10 at 08:09 PM [Reply]

The certification was lost in 2006. The accreditation officer was busy chasing ghost and not doing his job, that is why he had the title "accreditation officer”, he wanted to be in charge, I used to be there, now am with another department and doing fine! So I could care less, just hate it when people don't know what they are talking about. Eric you always seem to have a hidden agenda with your responses. You know in times of cutbacks and people doing without, they are paying for college and take home cars; yes this is the time to spend money. Eric your one of those guys who wants to keep on building, well not everyone feels like that, I don't care how much more is coming! The Recreation department has done a great job and for that they should be congratulated but it also is place for parents who like to believe their kid is a lot better than they really are and they are a coach’s nightmare later on; I bet you know something about that too!

#9 are you serious on 12/22/10 at 07:48 PM [Reply]

Now the word is that he now wants to go take a class at Harvard to further his own agenda, come on people when you are going to wake up!!!!!! Next thing you know they will want to move Wirthman over to the City's Manager's job when this idiot leaves. How much more do we have to take! They are taking money to pay for each other's college while other people are taking furlough days and laying people off. This is not even legal but none seem to care. DO SOMETHING MAYOR JOINER OR LEAVE WITH MR. WARD !!!!

#9.1 Gimme a break on 12/23/10 at 10:10 PM [Reply]

Dude,

Not a soul working for the City of Jefferson is being furloughed or has been laid off.

If you're going to be a moron and get on here and say John Ward is going to Harvard to take classes, which admittedly would make him infinitely smarter than you, and then say that he's using other people's money to pay for education then at least be right about HALF of the junk you say.

Seriously. I don't know if it's that you're making me angry or making me laugh.

Just stop.

And what the heck do you want Jim Joiner to do? He didn't hire John Ward- City Council did.

If you're going to b---- about all of these supposed problems at LEAST know the flow chart for the government of the City you live in.

If you DON'T know something; just ask Eric Nicolaus. If you've lived here for ANY length of time you know him... and you know that he has forgotten more about the government than you will ever know, hear or read about it.

#9.1.1 daklfhaifhhasjdfhajs on 12/28/10 at 04:15 PM [Reply]

I don't know which statement makes you a bigger idiot,starting your statement with "Dude" or asking Eric Nicolaus anything!

#10 Jefferson Resident on 12/23/10 at 02:59 PM [Reply]

He has done a terrific job here in Jefferson- period. I would truly hate to see him leave.

#11 adam smith on 12/26/10 at 07:34 PM [Reply]

In case you weren't at the last council meeting, Harvard is an honor, is completely paid for and will not cost the City of Jefferson any money whatsoever.
You are upset because Mr. Ward's wife supposedly made a comment about not wanting to live in Jefferson and Mr. Ward asked to be allowed to purchase property in the county and move out of the city? You people who find fault with the same thing over and over amaze me.
Why aren't you looking at the money you pay for county taxes, the fact that the county manager's contract has been extended another year and yet furloughs, layoffs and your tax money is being wasted or do you not realize you pay county taxes as well as city? Is your city tax more than your county tax?

Add Comment

Name
Email
Homepage
In reply to
Comment: E-Mail addresses will not be displayed and will only be used for E-Mail notifications.

To prevent automated Bots from commentspamming, please enter the string you see in the image below in the appropriate input box. Your comment will only be submitted if the strings match. Please ensure that your browser supports and accepts cookies, or your comment cannot be verified correctly.

Enter the string from the spam-prevention image above:
Phone*

What is three plus one?
: Remember Information? Subscribe to this entry
: Submitted comments will be subject to moderation before being displayed.

This Week's Poll

Community

Jackson Community

Ward named finalist for Augusta job

JacksonHeraldTODAY

Ward named finalist for Augusta job

Recent Stories

Recent Comments

This Week's Poll

Sister Sites

Archives

Community

Keyword Tags