Do you ever wonder how Macon stays clean? This man helps make it happen

Sam Kitchens wants to make Macon-Bibb County a place that people want to live.

Kitchens, the director of Parks and Beautification in Macon-Bibb County, has worked in Macon for more than 20 years, managing the community’s most beautiful assets.

“When people come to your neighborhood or to your home or to your community, you want to put your best foot forward,” Kitchens said. “You want people to see that you have nice things to offer.”

He said he loves his job of managing the county’s buildings and green spaces.

“I consider it the fun stuff,” Kitchens said. “I love being a part of the resurgence of Macon.”

Solar energy is one of Kitchens major interest. He won the 2018 Solar Advocate Award from the Georgia Solar Energy Association on Dec. 13, according to a news release.

“I’ve been interested in solar for about 10 years now,” he said. “It’s not the answer to everything, but it is the answer to some things.”

Kitchens’ solar initiatives included getting solar panels installed on four firehouses in Macon-Bibb.

Kitchens said he can’t take all of the credit. The people with whom he works, including Rob Ryals, the director of Facilities Management for Macon-Bibb County, have played a huge role in beautifying Macon.

Ryals started working for the county shortly after Kitchens and has partnered with Kitchens on many energy-saving initiatives.

“Anything and everything to do with green initiatives or with energy savings, I go to Sam and collaborate with Sam,” Ryals said.

Kitchens, a Jones County Commissioner, said that loving Macon-Bibb County or Jones County is one in the same.

“If Macon thrives, the surrounding counties thrive. If Jones County thrives, Macon thrives,” he said. “Good things don’t see county lines, and bad things don’t see county lines. We all win together or we all lose together, and I’d rather win together.”

Kitchens said keeping Macon clean and beautiful is important for a number of reasons.

“I think it’s vital to not only the economic part of downtown and Macon-Bibb, but it’s just the entire outlook. The holistic view of Macon-Bibb is based on what people see when they get here,” he said.

Some other initiatives Kitchens has worked on include renovating many of Macon’s parks, including Amerson River Park, which was completed in 2015.

Kitchens said Amerson is one of Parks and Beautification’s proudest achievements.

Ryals said he and Kitchens worked “shoulder-to-shoulder” as they moved up the ranks in Macon-Bibb County.

“Everything he does, he does 110 percent. He gives his all,” Ryals said. “And that applies to his friendships.”

Ryals calls Kitchens the best boss he ever had.

“He’s easy to work with. He’s a people person, and when you work with Sam, you know you’re appreciated. You don’t have to wonder if you’re appreciated, you know you’re appreciated,” Ryals said.

“He’s more like a brother to me than a colleague.”

This story was originally published January 27, 2019 at 4:51 PM.