Michael Hicks is officially running the show at College Park City Hall. The longtime tech chief was confirmed as City Manager in a unanimous City Council vote on Saturday, capping a months‑long transition and elevating a familiar insider who had already been steering the ship as interim manager. He will oversee day‑to‑day operations and craft long‑range plans focused on sustainable growth and stronger city services.
Council Endorses Hicks; Officials Praise His Record
Council members did not just vote for Hicks, they rallied behind him. The unanimous decision came with a round of public praise for how he steadied the organization while serving in the interim role. Mayor Bianca Motley Broom congratulated Hicks and said she expects him to lead “with integrity, openness and accountability,” while Councilmember Tracie Arnold credited him with stabilizing the organization and setting clear goals for staff, as reported by 11Alive. Councilmember Joe Carn added that the council is proud of the unanimous choice and is looking ahead to a long‑term working relationship under Hicks’ leadership.
IT Experience At The Center Of His Candidacy
Hicks brings a deep tech and municipal operations background into the corner office. His résumé lists him as College Park’s chief information officer since 2016 and details a slate of citywide projects he led while in that role, including cybersecurity upgrades, cloud storage and enterprise system improvements, along with expanded public‑safety camera coverage and modernized telecommunications systems, according to Michael Hicks' résumé. Coverage of College Park’s smart‑city initiatives has also highlighted Hicks’ central role in turning technology into an everyday operational tool for the city, as profiled by Smart Cities Dive.
Professional Credentials
City officials are also pointing to Hicks’ management training as a key asset. He completed the University of Georgia’s Certified Public Manager program in 2025, a credential the school lists among its most recent graduates. The UGA Institute of Government notes that the CPM program blends comprehensive coursework with a capstone project, a formal qualification that city leaders say underscores his readiness to take on the city manager role. UGA Institute of Government.
Why This Matters: A City With Recent Turnover
Hicks’ elevation comes after a turbulent stretch in College Park’s top administrative seat. The council’s decision follows the abrupt firing of the previous city manager and Hicks’ subsequent appointment as interim, a sequence that drew attention to City Hall’s internal friction and the council’s stated push for stability and tighter administrative controls. FOX 5 Atlanta reported on the earlier shakeup and his interim role.
What's Next
Hicks steps into the job immediately. He is now tasked with carrying out council priorities, managing the municipal budget and overseeing department heads, roles that recent council agenda documents already showed him performing in late 2025 and early 2026. According to public city materials, officials say the early focus will center on fiscal controls, technology resilience and public‑safety systems as Hicks settles fully into the position. City of College Park and council agenda records reflect his duties and recent activity.
