Fort Valley looking for ‘progressively responsible’ candidates in top leadership jobs
Fort Valley is seeking a pool of new officials after some previous employees recently died, resigned or were fired by the mayor, according to the Middle Georgia Regional Commission, which oversees the hiring process.
Shortly after Mayor Shakeena Reeves took office on Jan. 3, she claimed some of the city’s top public safety and municipal workers had financial and conduct issues. The chief and assistant chief of police were terminated; the city administrator resigned after he was warned of being fired; and the fire chief was found dead in his home in July 2025.
Job applicants must have “progressively responsible experience” in their fields, according to the job descriptions.
Open full-time positions include police chief, fire chief, finance director, city administrator and city clerk, according to the Middle Georgia Regional Commission, which coordinates government services.
The city administrator would work closely with Reeves and make a salary of $90,000-$99,000, according to its job description. The finance director will manage budgeting and be paid a salary of $65,000-$75,000. The city clerk, which handles local elections, records and legislative processes, would make about half of the city administrator’s pay, with a salary of $45,000-$50,000.
Applicants are required to include their pay histories to be considered for the finance director, and police and fire chief positions. Their salaries are “commensurate with qualifications and experience,” the job descriptions said.
Who qualifies?
The police and fire chief applications require the most experience compared to the other open roles, which opened in early February, according to the Middle Georgia Regional Commission.
The police chief should have 10 years of “progressive law enforcement experience with three years of police leadership,” the Middle Georgia Regional Commission said. This person should also be knowledgeable about “modern law enforcement practices.”
The fire chief should’ve worked for 10 years in fire service including five years in “progressively responsible supervisory and administrative roles,” the MGRC said.
The police and fire chief applications will close Wednesday.
The city administrator is expected to strengthen partnerships with the municipality’s most affluent stakeholders including Blue Bird Corporation, an international school bus manufacturer; and Fort Valley State University. This person will also oversee local elections, budgets and retirement plans, according to its job description.
The city clerk will deal with documents involving municipal staff. This person is expected to have worked for three years in “municipal administration, records management or a related field,” the MGRC said.
The city administrator and clerk applications will be accepted until March 18.
Fort Valley has been searching for a finance director since March 2025. This person will manage payroll, property taxes and city purchases, according to the MGRC. This person should have five years of government finance experience.
Each position requires varying levels of education in related fields. Other qualifications are listed on the MGRC’s website.
The Regional Commission will conduct initial screenings for each position. People can apply by emailing a cover letter, resume and references to klayrock@mg-rc.org.
