Barnesville marks manager transition as Kenneth D. Roberts retires; David K. Rose takes helm

Mayor Peter L. Banks opened the Jan. 4 council meeting by noting City Manager Kenneth D. Roberts planned to retire January 31, 2018, and thanked him for his years of service. Roberts told the council that “serving as the City Manager was a dream come true,” and said he would provide consulting support through the transition and expressed confidence in David K. Rose.

David K. Rose appeared as City Manager at council meetings through the year and was formally welcomed at the Feb. 5 meeting as his first council session in that role. Council later appointed Rose to the Barnesville–Lamar County Industrial Development Authority board to fill the unexpired term of Kenneth D. Roberts. In the June minutes the council recorded a memorial page for Kenneth D. Roberts, who is listed as having passed on May 10, 2018.

The council’s entries across 2018 show an orderly succession plan: Roberts’ retirement and post-retirement consulting were recorded in January; Rose’s appointment and confirmations followed; and the council memorialized Roberts after his death. No formal council action reversing the appointments was recorded.