The non-elected office of theCity Administrator was created by an ordinance of the City Council in December,1981. The City Administrator reports directly to the Mayor and department heads,in turn, report directly to the City Administrator. Marion’s current Administrator, Mark Bryant,has a Master of City Planning degree from Georgia Tech and over fifteen yearsof public administration experience. Bryant is responsible for assisting theMayor and Council on policy development and strategic planning and serving asthe key staff representative to community organizations, the public, and otherunits of state and local government. By law, he acts as the City’s personnel officer, purchasing agent, and budget manager. His responsibilities alsoinclude public safety, building and zoning, comprehensive planning, and capitalprojects.

Bryant has his work cut out forhim in fiscal year 2007-2008. The City Council has directed him to begin siteselection and design work on a much-needed new fire station, and to perform Marion’s first-evercomprehensive drainage study. Other major projects on the City Administrator’sagenda include the installation of new sidewalks and period lighting on East Bellville Street;construction of a new communications tower on Wilson Hill; and extension ofsanitary sewers to over forty homes in several different sections of the City.