Appointment of city manager puts focus on hiring, zoning

Doraville has hired a new city manager, officials announced Wednesday. The position has been vacant for almost six months while the police chief served as interim city manager.

Chris Eldridge will take over leading the day-to-day operations of the city beginning July 6, the city said in a statement.

Eldridge most recently served for seven years as the administrator of Horry County, South Carolina, before resigning last year. His departure followed tumultu- ous discussions over his con- tract and severance package, which was worth more than $300,000, according to local news reports.

He has also been a city administrator for the South Carolina cities of Liberty, Pickens and Georgetown, totaling 22 years of govern- ment managerial experience, Doraville officials said. His annual salary in Doraville will be $155,000, city spokesman Doug Carroll said.

“We are excited to get Chris on board an d are expecting quick results from him,” Doraville Mayor Joseph Geierman said in a state- ment. “The City Council has multiple projects and priorities that it wants to see progress on.”

Those tasks include filling vacant high-level positions in the city, analyzing the city’s outsourced services and rezoning Buford Highway for mixed-use development, Geierman said.

In a statement, Eldridge said he is “eage to get started.”

“The interview process allowed me to get to know the council and experience their excitement for Doraville’s future,” he said. “Their enthusiasm sold me on the position. I can’t wait to continue to learn all I can about Doraville and become a part of the community.”

Charles Atkinson will continue serving as police chief; he filled in as Doraville’s interim city manager after Regina V.K. Williams-Gates resigned at the end of 2019. Located in northern DeKalb County, Doraville has an estimated population of about 10,300.

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Chris Eldridge will start as Doraville city manager on July 6.