The Ledger

By Becky Holland

The City of Cochran has officially named an interim city manager as leaders continue working through a period of transition.

Angela H. Redding was voted in tonight (Thursday) by the Cochran City Council as the city’s interim city manager during the council’s work session.

Redding comes to Cochran after serving four years as city manager of Cordele. Prior to Cordele, she was in Monticello.

Carla D. Coley, mayor of the City of Cochran, said, “We are beyond happy to welcome Mrs. Redding to Cochran. She brings a wide range of experience, and we are excited to see how she helps continue to move us forward during this time of transition.”

In February of this year, she was dismissed from her position following unresolved contract negotiations, according to Cordele officials.

According to Cordele City Attorney Tommy Coleman, the decision was made during a city meeting on Tuesday, February 17. Mayor Wesley Rainey told WALB-TV the move was tied primarily to contract negotiations.

“It was contract disputes that were just unresolve-able. It was mainly contract negotiations,” Rainey said. “The city manager works for the City Commission, and it’s in our discretion. And her contract was just up for renewal, and we elected not to continue because of the contract disputes. The other things, I just am not gonna elaborate on at this time.”

According to the Cordele Dispatch, Redding addressed the meeting following the decision.

“Thank you all for the opportunity to serve Cordele. To the citizens, thank you all. It has been a pleasure to serve the hometown where I grew up, and this will not be the last that you all hear from me because there are no reasons given as to why they’re not continuing my employment, so apparently, there are other issues that are behind it,” Redding said.

Redding began her role in Cordele in January 2022, returning to her hometown with more than two decades of experience in local government.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Morris Brown College and an MBA from Mercer University.

Throughout her career, Redding has been active in professional and community organizations, including the Georgia City-County Management Association (GCCMA), the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), and the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA). She has also served on numerous boards and leadership initiatives across the state.

Her contributions have been recognized at both the state and national levels, including receiving the President’s Gold Volunteer Service Award in 2016 and being named an Outstanding Georgia Citizen by the Georgia Secretary of State in 2019.

In January 2025, Redding marked her third anniversary as Cordele’s city manager, with city officials publicly recognizing her service to the community at that time.