On Tuesday night, the LaGrange City Council honored Electric Department Superintendent Jay Bartlett for 25 years of service to the city. 

Both Mayor Jim Thornton and Utilities Director Patrick Bowie spoke about Bartlett’s accomplishments and his role in keeping the department and the city going.

“He does everything we ask of him with a smile on his face, and he takes great care of the customers,” Bowie said. “The employees that work for him just love him to death, and we couldn’t ask for anybody better to manage the electric system.”

Bartlett said his accomplishments were in part due to good management.

“It starts at the top, and you all are at the top — [City Manager] Meg [Kelsey] and Patrick,” Bartlett said. “When you have good leaders, it trickles down, and I’m just a spoke in the wheel.”

According to information shared during the meeting, Bartlett was hired in 1994 as an equipment operator in the landscape department, and he transferred into the city’s electric division as a ground man in 1996, before proceeding to become a journey line worker. He is now a member of the board of directors for Electric Cities of Georgia, a statewide organization.

As the electric department supervisor, Bartlett helps make sure that the city’s biggest revenue generator — its electric system — remains in good condition, which in turn allows the city to operate without charging a millage rate. 

“The city has a goose that lays golden eggs, and that goose is the electric system,” Bowie said. “Jay is the one that takes care of the goose and delivers the golden eggs to the city to pay for all the things we get to do in this community. I can’t think of anyone who would be in a better position to do that than Jay is.”

Bartlett’s family joined him at the city council meeting for the recognition.

Other items covered during the meeting on Tuesday included:

• The LaGrange City Council voted to schedule a public hearing and first reading for the updated Unified Development Ordinance on Feb. 11, 2020, at 5:30 p.m.
• Council Member Nathan Gaskin complimented an upgrade on signage near the industrial park and asked if lighting could be installed so that it could be seen at night.
• The LaGrange City Council unanimously voted to reappoint Andy Fritchley to the Troup County Parks and Recreation Commission.
• City of LaGrange Marketing and Communications Manager Katie Mercer Van Schoor shared a video about the city’s Leaving LaGrange Better Than We Found It campaign. Van Schoor said the video will be shared on the city’s Facebook page.
• Van Schoor also invited everyone in the community to attend LaGrange City Hall Business After Hours, which is being hosted in partnership with the LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce. 

The event will take place on Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and is free to the public. The event will feature Christmas carols, a visit from Mr. and Mrs. Claus and other fun activities. 

The LaGrange City Council will meet again on Thursday, Dec. 19 at 5:30 p.m. at 208 Ridley Ave. 

The date of the meeting was rescheduled from Dec. 24 due to the Christmas holiday.