When City Manager Bill Fann arrived on the job many years ago and took over the leadership role for Cedartown’s administration, he came in with a mission to clean up the financial situation and streamline operations.

Fann instead said he found a family, friends and success over nearly a decade at the helm of city government that comes to an end in the next couple of weeks with his retirement starting on October 1.

He was given the opportunity to provide a long address during his final meeting with the city on Monday evening in his leadership role, where he challenged the city commission to listen to Chief Financial Officer Amy Orebaugh in all things monetarily to keep in line with a growing fund balance of $3.8+ million and avoid what the city faced annually prior to his arrival: the need for Tax Anticipation Notes.

Fann was also quick to thank past and present leadership on the commission for their roles in bringing him on board and helping him keep a steady course for the city over the past years, as well as honor employees for their contributions in every aspect of city government during tough times and those in past years where merit-based pay increases and annual one-time payments during the holidays have become the norm instead of worries over layoffs and furloughs.

During his final manager’s report, Fann showed off one of his most cherished items given to him by employees during his tenure as city manager: a flashlight with a tag on the end that thanks him for “lighting the way” toward progress in the city over the past years.

“That little flashlight means more to me than any award I could ever receive,” he said.

He received high praise from City Commissioners for his leadership over the past years. Commissioner Jessica Payton thanked him for his patience with her questions and always continuing to provide an answer to “why?” Commissioner Sam Branch added his thanks for his short education in city government after he joined the board last year.

Commissioner Andrew Carter was thankful for Fann’s friendship both in a professional capacity as a reporter for WRGA in Rome and now a station manager of WGAA in Cedartown, and as a Commissioner as well.

Most of all, Commissioner Dale Tuck provided one of the best reminders of all of Fann’s legacy: One Door Polk. She pointed out that it was Fann pushing for the facility to find a purpose after he also pushed for the new hospital’s construction on Highway 278, and that One Door Polk has gone on to do a lot of good in the community.

“It is a model for other cities, and we wouldn’t have it without Bill Fann,” she said.

Commissioner Matt Foster was the last to offer comments on the night, thanking Fann for his years of service to the city with something he’ll get to enjoy at his home just across the state line in Alabama: a brand new wooden bench that he’ll be taking home in retirement.

When Fann finishes out his final day at month’s end, the city commission has already voted to approve that Edward Guzman will take over as the new city manager starting on October 1. Guzman moves up into the leadership role after serving as Assistant City Manager.

Fann said during his final manager’s report that employees need not fear the changing of the guard at city hall from his tenure to Guzman’s, since he knows that Guzman will work hard alongside a City Commission that has the staff’s best interest at heart in every department.

He added his own words of confidence in Guzman’s work ethic, and praised his persistence to work his way up in city government over the past years, including the completion of his Master’s degree in Public Administration while continuing his career with the city.

Fann said that he looks forward to retirement and spending more time with his family, but that he will always just be 10 miles away across the state line in Borden Springs, Alabama.

A United States Air Force veteran who served during the Vietnam Era, Fann began his career in public service after leaving the military and went into law enforcement, serving in his hometown in Venice, Florida before other opportunities allowed him to move into administrative roles.

“I wanted to be a police officer in my hometown where my daddy was a police officer,” Fann said. “I had no idea at that point that Cedartown, Georgia even existed.”

Before he became Cedartown’s city manager, he was hired to serve as the Public Works Director.

“After 23 1/2 years in that city on the other side of the line, I finally made it home,” Fann said. “And home for me, despite the fact that I live across the state line in Borden Springs, is and now forever will be Cedartown, Georgia.”