With a standing room only crowd in the Hinesville City Hall council chambers, outgoing City Manager Kenneth Howard regaled the audience with the joy being a public servant has brought him.

Howard, who barely delved into a six-page speech after thanking the many people who mentored, encouraged or helped along his way to become the first Black city manager in Hinesville history, ended his 33 years of service to Hinesville on Friday afternoon.

Howard said his time volunteering with more than 20 different non-profit groups and other organizations helped shape him.

“God gives us gifts, but it’s only because of what you do with them that you are successful,” he said. “I have volunteered with so many organizations who have allowed me to be who I am today. What you see is the end result of a lifetime commitment to being a public servant.”

And many of those who spoke about him as more than a city manager wished him well in his retirement — but also were ready to call him back to work.

“By the power invested in me, I hereby decree to you 30 days of full and unrestricted retirement,” said Liberty County Commission Chairman and longtime friend Donald Lovette, who then said many more hours of service to the community awaited.

From former mayors to childhood friends to university presidents, colleagues lauded Howard for how he approached his job, even while revealing some of his lesser-known nicknames — Doughboy, Hollywood and Wildcat.

After working for Liberty County, then Hinesville City Administrator Billy Edwards hired Howard to run the “very small community development department,” Edwards recalled.

“He took that into a multi-million dollar grant acquisition machine,” Edwards said. Howard remembered how he got into becoming an expert on grants — Edwards handed him a thick binder and said “call me if you need me.”

“And that was my training,” Howard said. “But that was the best thing that could have happened to me. It forced me to learn it. You gave me an opportunity to excel.”

Howard took over for Edwards as city manager eight years ago and thanked his predecessor.

“I had the privilege of working for one of the best,” Howard said of Edwards.

Howard and current County Administrator Joseph Mosley have known each other for nearly 30 years, through their associations from the Georgia City-County Management Association. Mosley, a Portal native, was working for the City of Statesboro at the time.

“Kenny has helped me tremendously,” Mosley said. “In 1994, we were getting ready to expand our community development program in Statesboro. He gave me some good, sage advice and the program is still going today.”

Mosley also took Howard’s advice to heart about helping the way for the next generation.

“He said, ‘You need to work together and you need to recruit others,’” Mosley noted. “Kenny has always tried to reach the next generation and bring them forward.”

Daisy Jones recalled working for Howard from 2010-15 and the former Army officer was struck by quickly by Howard’s leadership style.

“I’ve worked for generals and when I went to work with Mr. Howard, it was a different vibe,” she said. “I learned so much from him. His leadership style is second to none. I observed in him such deep passion and commitment. He was always compassionate. I appreciate his example as a leader, as a visionary, to get things done and to take care of people.”

Howard, a stalwart linebacker on Bradwell Institute’s 1979 football team that went 10-0 in the regular season — and as former mayor and fellow former Bradwell football star Allen Brown painfully pointed out, lost 1-0 to Benedictine via the now discarded penetration rule — went to Fort Valley State on a football scholarship and starred there, too. There was even the potential of a pro career, several speakers pointed out, until knee injuries sidelined the opportunity.

“My mom and dad would be so proud right now because I had no inclination of how I was going to end up. I wanted to join the military,” Howard said. “God gave me a gift and that opened a door. That gift was football. My mom and dad could not afford to send me to school. I didn’t prepare myself because I was going into the military. People kept telling me, ‘you’re so good at football.’ By my junior year, they were asking me, ‘which college I was going to?’ And I had to prepare. And I did and I excelled.”

Service across the state

And it’s beyond Hinesville’s city limits and Liberty County’s lines where Howard has tried to help out. He’s faithful to his college alma mater, Fort Valley State, and has helped guide more young men to football scholarships there, FVSU President Dr. Paul Jones said.

“He has remained a loyal supporter, especially for the Wildcat football program,” Dr. Jones said. “He has chaired our annual golf tournament, raising significant funds. Without those, we would have a difficult time with our scholarships.

“He has been a leader here and a leader at Fort Valley State. He has been a remarkable friend and I can’t thank him enough.”

Fellow FVSU alum Lily Baker, former Liberty County Board of Education chairwoman, and Howard address each other with “Wildcat,” the school’s nickname. Baker praised Howard for coming back home and paving a way for future generations.

“Thank you for coming back to this community and helping it to grow and develop it into what it is today,” she said.

Childhood friend Dr. Cynthia Hammonds said she wasn’t planning on going to college, until Howard chose Fort Valley State.

“He is the only reason I went to college,” she said.

Howard is godfather to her son Brandon, now 36, and two years ago, her now 91-year-old mother adopted Howard.

“He is one of us,” Hammonds said. “We do argue. We do get mad at each other. If I don’t call him on his birthday, he’s mad. We love each other. Our friendship has been solid. We have been there for each other in the good and the bad times.”

Superintendent of Liberty County Schools Debra Frazier was on the sidelines for her Bradwell classmate during his games — and 25 years ago, when the school system was facing a troubling future, Howard offered his fellow Riceboro native counsel and encouragement, telling her she would one day be superintendent.

“He truly is an inspiration to me. He is remarkable,” she said. “We are grateful for your service to the city of Hinesville. We are grateful for your service to Liberty County. We are grateful for your service to the city of Riceboro.”

Former county commission chairman and former Riceboro mayor John McIver applauded Howard for the work he did for Hinesville and all the communities.

“The Good Lord has blessed him with the knowledge to do these things,” he said. “You can have that knowledge, but you have to have that wisdom from God. If you don’t have that wisdom, that knowledge isn’t going far. He has had that wisdom and knowledge to stay on track.

“Can any good thing come out of Riceboro? Yes.”

McIver also didn’t pass up the opportunity to reflect on one of Howard’s first jobs out of college — as a door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman. Howard didn’t get a sale at McIver’s house.

“I felt bad, because we had just bought one,” McIver said.

Brown was first mayor when Howard was assistant city manager and his second stint as mayor coincided with Howard’s appointment to city manager. In his first tenure, there was a meeting every morning between Boss Hog (Brown), Chicken Chest (Edwards) and Doughboy.

“We’d spend about five minutes talking about city business and about an hour on sports,” Brown recalled.

But Brown also pointed to Howard’s 34 years on the county recreation board, his devotion to the youth of the community, especially in Riceboro, and even Howard’s roles as an actor in community theater.

“You have truly earned the privilege of retirement,” Brown said.

Former Hinesville mayor and current state Rep. Buddy Deloach was out of municipal office when Howard was hired. But through his time in the Legislature, he has seen how Hinesville’s leadership is perceived around the state.

“We have been considered that area that has had great, great leadership,” Deloach said. “I just thank you for who you are.”

Impact on the city

Mayor Karl Riles said he knew something might be up when Howard called him and assistant Christy Deloach into his office and asked them to sit down. He even pleaded with Howard not to tell them he was retiring.

“I said some words Mr. Howard doesn’t have in his vernacular,” Riles said. “He talked about being a grandfather. When he did that, we had to let him go.”

Howard’s depth and breadth of knowledge of government — and how to run an organization — was critical, Riles said. And Howard was always going to make an impression.

“Having Mr. Howard allows you to use 100% of your personnel. He is always going to provide order and direction,” Riles said. ‘Whether that means he is dressed up to go the most important meeting at the Pentagon or the Capitol, or to go read to third graders, he is going to have on $900 Louis Vuitton shoes.”

Jason Floyd, the longest- tenured city council member, noted how Howard informed council members of a situation. If it was something small, he’d describe it in a message. If it was big, he’d tell the council members to call him.

“I’m glad to call him friend,” Floyd said. “He has served with integrity. He has tackled challenges head on. He didn’t try to avoid them, even when I advised him to avoid them. That’s not his style of leadership and our city is better for it.”

Mayor pro tem Vicky Nelson thanked Howard for being grounded during times when she may not have been.

“You taught me a lot, Mr. Howard,” she said. “Your wisdom has meant so much to me.”

Howard offered his gratitude for the council members in choosing him as city manager in January 2017.

“I am truly indebted to you guys,” he said. “You gave me the opportunity of a lifetime and you gave me the autonomy to do my job. I am the first African American city manager for the City of Hinesville and any time you are the first of anything, it is an honor.”

Howard also praised the city staff and the department heads for their work.

“We have a very great team and my job is easy,” he said. “I work for them because I understand the importance of getting work done and I cannot get work done except through my employees.”

Riles recalled that after his election to mayor, he told Howard that it was time to do big things in the city.

“He said, ‘the people expect us to do big things,’” Riles said.

Jones said she was struck when working for Howard on how he had his office door closed at the start of the day. She asked him why. She found out that’s when Howard read scripture and prayed to start his day.

In a recorded statement, state Rep. Al Williams also lauded Howard’s years of work in improving the entire community and has introduced a state House resolution in his behalf.

“Because of your hard work and your sacrifices and your vision, we live in a community that is much better today,” he said.

Howard, for his part, thanked God and also pointed to the impact such people as Scoutmasters Herman Baker and Charles Frasier had on him growing up.

“When there were tough times, people prayed for me. And I had faith in God He would see me through,” he said. “He not only brought me through, but he elevated me in a way I couldn’t even imagine.”

While he intends to be retired more than the 30 days Lovette decreed for him before resuming work, Howard said he’s not done working for his community.

“I’m finishing here. But I’m not finished,” he said. “Thank you for allowing me to be a public servant.”