Department director nominee has memorable 2016

The year 2016 is one that Sam Kitchens may not soon forget.

In July, Kitchens won a seat on the Jones County Commission and next week is expected to be appointed as director of the Macon-Bibb County Parks and Beautification Department. The Macon-Bibb County Commission will vote Tuesday on Mayor Robert Reichert’s recommendation to have Kitchens lead the department that maintains more than 120 parks and greenspaces, including Amerson River Park and Rosa Parks Square.

Kitchens has been in the interim director role since October when then-director Steve Lawson left to become city manager in his hometown of Big Stone Gap, Virginia.

Kitchens, a former assistant director of the department, is a natural fit as director and has been a proponent of green initiatives through implementing energy efficient measures, Macon-Bibb spokesman Chris Floore said.

“He’s got the personal passion and experience to lead the department,” Floore said.

Parks and Beautification was formed in January 2014 when Macon and Bibb County consolidated.

“Under (Kitchen’s) leadership and Steve Lawson’s leadership they became a department that has built a new program that’s garnered significant community and state recognition,” Floore said.

Kitchens likely appointment comes about one year after the commission removed the interim tag from seven other department heads, naming them to the permanent role. Earlier this year, the board also approved new directors for Information Technology and Business Development Services departments.

The city-county lost a group of department heads as part of an early retirement buyouts offered in 2015.

This story was originally published December 16, 2016 at 4:08 PM with the headline "Department director nominee has memorable 2016."