Dougherty County Administration recently appointed a new Di- rector and Assistant Director of Public Works. Current Assistant Public Works Director, Chuck Mathis, will be officially stepping in on June 21, 2021, to fill the Director position being vacated by Larry Cook, who will be retiring on July 23, 2021, after nearly 30 years of service to Dougherty County. Michael Sistrunk will be appointed to the Assistant Director of Public Works position, effective June 21, 2021.

With over 40 years of service to Dougherty County, Chuck “Chucky” Mathis began his career with Dougherty County in 1978 as a mower in the Public Works department. Transitioning through the ranks with the passing years in Public Works, Mathis was appointed Assistant Di- rector of Public Works in 2006. Prior to that appointment, he served as the Construction/Mainte- nance Manager of Public Works from 2000 to 2006, where he was responsible for strategic planning, repairs, and maintenance of Dougherty County’s infrastructure and managing a staff of 10 to 15 employees, as well as assisting with the annual budget and reports for Public Works.

“One of my goals is to continue the efforts on the projects that Public Works has started in Ra- dium Springs, Putney, East and West Dougherty County, specifically, with alley improvements and road resurfacing,” said Mathis. “In addition, I plan to work on ways to attract and retain em- ployees through Benefits knowledge, training opportunities, morale, and goal-oriented assign- ments, as well as establishing a webmaster specifically for Public Works to post pertinent infor- mation on our web page in collaboration with our County Public Information Officer.”

Mathis said that the continuation of partnerships with Neighborhood Associations and other civic organization that assist Public Works with the parks and property beautification is another area he will focus on. Additionally, he said he plans to continue looking toward improving Stormwater drainage throughout Dougherty County, and if approved, create and build a “Safe-House Multi- purpose Building” for those in the Putney area for residents who live in mobile homes in the area.

Mathis holds a certification in Carpentry and Cabinet Making from Albany Technical College, a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Albany State University, and an Advance Cer- tificate of Public Works Management from the University of Georgia. He also serves as a liaison representative on state level boards for the American Public Works Association (APWA), and as a committee member on the Health Plan Advisory Board for Dougherty County. Mathis has also served as Pastor of Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church for the past 18 years.

“Chucky brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Public Works Director position,” said Scott Addison, Assistant Dougherty County Administrator. “We look forward to having him serve in his new role and continuing to serve Dougherty County.”

“Dougherty County is fortunate to have one of its own to move up the ranks,” said Michael McCoy, Dougherty County Administrator. “Not only is Chucky a dynamic individual, the Public Works team, as well as all county employees, know and respect him. Although we will miss Larry Cook, I know that Chucky will continue to carry out the mission of Public Works and Dougherty County.”

Michael Sistrunk comes to Dougherty County after serving as Co-County Manager and Public Works Director for Lee County Board of Commissioners since 2016. Prior to then, he served as Lee County Public Works Director from 2009 to 2016 and before, as General Supervisor of Pub- lic Works for Lee County from 2003 to 2009. Sistrunk began his career in 1987 as General Su- pervisor of Public Works for the City of Albany, Georgia.

“With over 34 years of experience working in various aspects of Public Works, I plan to use the best of my abilities, knowledge, and experience to better our community, creating strong alli- ances, and working closer with employees and citizens of Dougherty County,” said Sistrunk. “I would like to thank Dougherty County for this opportunity, and I look forward to serving the Dougherty County community.”

During Sistrunk’s Co-County Management career with Lee County, he was instrumental in bringing the fund balance from $8 million to over $12 million. He has managed multiple depart- ments of the county, including building inspections, planning and development, 911, code en- forcement, finance department, human resources, fire, EMS, recreation, and the IT department, among many others.

“With Michael’s extensive background in Public Works with Lee County and with the City of Al- bany, he will bring much knowledge to Dougherty County,” said Scott Addison, Assistant Dougherty County Administrator.

“Combining the years of experience and knowledge that both Michael and Chucky bring to the table, Dougherty County’s Public Works department will continue to flourish and thrive, making it the best in the state of Georgia,” said Michael McCoy, Dougherty County Administrator. “The

promotion of Chucky and the onboarding of Michael to our team is a win-win for the citizens of Dougherty County, as well as the entire Southwest Georgia community.”

Sistrunk holds both State and National certifications from the University of Georgia as well as the American Public Works Association (APWA) Certification of Public Works Director. He is President of the Local Chapter of APWA and is within 12 hours of completing County Manager Certification with the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG).