Monroe County Manager Jim Hedges announced on Tuesday, June 3 his intention to retire effective Jan. 31, 2026.
County Manager Hedges said he first notified the Board of Commissioners of his decision during an executive session to discuss personnel on Tuesday, May 20. He then notified Monroe County department heads in a private meeting on Friday, May 30 before going public with his retirement announcement on Tuesday.
County Manager Hedges, who has served as Monroe County’s manager since October 2018, said his professional career began on June 15, 1970 when he was hired by the Amoco Corporation. After 55 years of work, County Manager Hedges said he began considering retirement after turning 78 years old back in March, having learned that most Americans retire at age 65 and that life expectancy is 78 years.
Upon hearing County Manager Hedges’ announcement, District 1 Commissioner Lamarcus Davis jokingly motioned to deny his retirement request.
District 3 Commissioner John Ambrose said he was in office before Monroe County had a county manager. He said the hiring of County Manager Hedges immediately paid dividends as he and County Finance Officer Lorri Robinson immediately repaired the county’s struggling financial situation. Commissioner Ambrose said County Manager Hedges was maligned by some members of the public and local media for spending a lot of money early in his tenure, but he said County Manager Hedges was only spending already approved Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds that had to be spent within a short timeframe because of state regulations. Commissioner Ambrose also noted that County Manager Hedges is the only employee that the Board of Commissioners can hire or fire. He said all of the rest of the county employees are under County Manager Hedges.
“He (County Manager Hedges) has done an outstanding job,” Commissioner Ambrose said. “And Jim, I can’t say enough about how I appreciate you and the job you have done for our county. And I don’t care who we hire, there’s not a man in the world who’s got the knowledge he’s got to replace what he’s doing.”
Commission Chairman Alan Gibbs said he has only worked alongside County Manager Hedges for about six months but said he’s been amazed at how well County Manager Hedges keeps with up with the minutiae of the county government.
“This man has really helped me a lot just in the past few months since I’ve been here, and it’s going to be very difficult to find somebody to step into those shoes,” Chairman Gibbs said of County Manager Hedges.
District 2 Commissioner Eddie Rowland said he didn’t really know what a county manager was supposed to do until he watched how County Manager Hedges does his job. Commissioner Rowland said he’s learned as much or more about how county government is supposed to work from County Manager Hedges than from the training classes he takes through Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG).
Commissioner Davis said County Manager Hedges has helped him out from the first day he joined the Board in 2021. Commissioner Davis said County Manager Hedges is a “humble man” and the kind of guy who will “give you the shirt off his back.” He said County Manager Hedges has also introduced him to leaders in other Georgia communities that he probably wouldn’t have connected with otherwise.
“I really do appreciate everything you’ve done for me and Monroe County,” Commissioner Davis said to County Manager Hedges. “I’m going to miss you.”
