Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens is making significant changes to his cabinet as he moves into the second half of his initial term and gears up for a reelection bid.
The shake-up includes new leadership over Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport and the Department of Watershed Management — both areas of the city government that been plagued with challenges for years.
During an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Dickens said the changes are part of an effort to expedite the “Moving Atlanta Forward” agenda set early on in his administration.
“There’s more work to be done,” Dickens said. “These current leadership changes will help us to accelerate the execution and implementation of this plan that we have of moving Atlanta forward — it’s time to get even more tangible results.”
It’s not unusual for mayors to make leadership changes, but both the airport and watershed department have struggled to mitigate problems that have persisted across administrations.
The airport’s current General Manager, Balram Bheodari, is set to leave his position and be replaced in the interim by Jan Lennon, who previously served as the deputy general manager of operations. Lennon has worked at the airport since 2002, particularly in the areas of public safety and security.
The airport — which reclaimed it’s title this year as busiest in the world — has struggled since the COVID-19 pandemic to keep up with skyrocketing passenger traffic increases, which have caused long lines and wait times that have frustrated travelers.
Meanwhile, the airport is going through a multibillion-dollar expansion and modernization, that has also caused significant detours and disruptions. And the rebid of the terminal-to-terminal shuttle contract has been met with backlash from businesses who alleged the bid process last year was unfair under the city’s procurement department.
The mayor told the AJC that Bheodari successfully stewarded the airport through the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack, the pandemic and major projects like the expansion of Concourse D. The administration intends to fill his position through a nationwide search.
“(This gives us) the ability to go out and do a national search to get the leader of the future for the world’s busiest airport,” he said.
Lennon will fully take over the position in July.
The Department of Watershed Management, too, has struggled to repair and maintain the city’s watershed infrastructure — faulty equipment and systems that have led to millions in delinquent water bills and massive sewage leakages into the Chattahoochee.
The city is also under multiple federal consent decrees to reduce water pollution of its aging sewer system.
Recently, the city’s largest wastewater treatment plant, the R.M. Clayton Water Reclamation Center, was slapped with dozens of violations by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division for releasing high levels of bacteria into the river over the last nine months.
All of that is in addition to former Watershed Commissioner Jo Ann Macrina being sentenced to more than four years in prison in April 2023, after being found guilty of conspiracy and federal program bribery.
Al Wiggins, Jr. — who was initially appointed as Commissioner of Public Works under Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms — is replacing Mikita Browning as the Commissioner of Watershed Management. Prior to that, he served as the Deputy City Manager for the City of Chamblee.
Wiggins will also be in charge of managing the city’s compliance with the federal consent decrees.
Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Public Works Kentorri Garmon will serve as interim Public Works commissioner after Wiggins transitions.
Another notable change to Dickens’ staff is a departure of Chief Operating Officer Lisa Benjamin. Deputy Chief Operating Officer LaChandra Burks is slated to fill the position in the interim.
Prior to serving as deputy chief operating officer, Burks was the former interim commissioner for the Department of Parks and Recreation.
The mayor is also adding a new position to his staff, chief strategy officer, which will be filled by Peter Aman, who is currently serving as chief operating officer for the Atlanta Police Department. Aman also worked as chief operating officer for the city during the Kasim Reed administration and even launched his own bid for mayor in 2017.
“He will be a great contributor in helping us execute major initiatives to improve our government and which will then improve the quality of life of our residents,” the mayor said of the new role at City Hall. “He’s ... somebody that can really help get things unstuck.”
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