FRANKLIN
City Manager R. Randy Martin on Tuesday announced his intention to retire.

In a prepared statement, Martin said, “It has been a distinct honor and genuine privilege to have served the City of Franklin as city manager since Feb. 21, 2012. I hope further reflection on this time validates my belief that I was the right manager at the right time for the job. The City faced significant challenges prior to my tenure and during the early years of my service. These challenges, out of sheer necessity, have been a major focus of the Council and I over the past six and a half years. I also believe much progress has been achieved.

“I am most pleased that the City is now in a better place financially and in a number of other ways. I am also very optimistic about the City’s future, which makes it even more difficult to make this decision, because a part of me wants to help take the City to a next level of prosperity and success. Nonetheless, I can leave believing that the main overall goal that has guided me throughout my career in public service has been accomplished. It was a commitment I made to the City Council when I was hired and is ‘to leave it better than I found it.’ I trust the legacy of my time in a leadership role in this City will prove that to be the case.

“I am also very appreciative that the City Council and I, as part of my annual review process, have agreed to an amicable separation of service consistent with the terms of my original employment agreement that provides for a smooth transition as the Council immediately proceeds with the recruitment of a replacement. I am committed to do all that I can to ensure the transition process does not disrupt the orderly transfer of duties once City Council finalizes the next steps.”

No date has been set yet for when Martin will formally separate from employment with the city. He explained that the city must have someone designated as city manager, so until the City Council appoints an interim manager or finds a permanent replacement, he will continue to act in that capacity.

“As for acknowledgements, the list of individuals is long and includes all members of City Council that I have had the privilege of serving; the exceptional staff this City is blessed to have in its service, and who, to a great extent, deserve the credit for our achievements; the citizens and business community partners I have served and interacted with; my peers in the Hampton Roads region and particularly in Western Tidewater; and finally, the local and regional organizations, government agency officials and others who have been so supportive of Franklin’s efforts and me individually during my tenure,” Martin said.

He will retire with a total of 40 years in public service, 34 consecutive years of which he has served as a city manager.

“During this period, I have not had a time when I was unemployed or between jobs,” Martin said. “I have now reached a point professionally and personally where I want to take a much needed break and then evaluate other interests for the future.

“I am certain of at least one thing as I enter these uncharted waters, and that is my future is going to see a great deal of my time focused on my wonderful and supportive family, which I have been blessed with, especially my two beautiful new grandchildren. Otherwise, for the first time in my professional life, I have no specific plans other than a long list of projects my wife, Sheila, and I have developed that should occupy me for at least a little while.

“In closing, I am most pleased to be able to end my career based upon my decision to retire on a positive note, and I want to express my sincere appreciation to the current members of City Council for their support to this end. I am confident under this Council’s leadership that Franklin will prosper. As I close this chapter of my life, I am so thankful for all the new friends and many life-long relationships I have made and developed during my time here. I also cannot adequately express how much I appreciate my family’s tolerance and understanding over the years as I have navigated this challenging but rewarding career path of service to the public.”

When asked for comment, Franklin Mayor Frank Rabil said, “Randy Martin has notified City Council of his intent to retire from his work in city government, but until council convenes to discuss this personnel matter in closed session on Monday, it would be inappropriate to say anything more than the fact that I am grateful for Randy’s years of service to the City of Franklin.”