Tobar departs as Grady administrator

Published 2:00 pm Tuesday, December 26, 2017

CAIRO — “Mr. Frugal” has left the building. 

Grady County Administrator Carlos Tobar’s last day as the county’s chief executive was Thursday before becoming Baldwin County’s county manager.

While packing up his office, with the nickname “Mr. Frugal” above the door, one of Tobar’s last duties was copying 4,000 important documents for county employees. 

“I probably made more than 4,000 decisions since I’ve been here,” he said. 

Back when Tobar interviewed for the position, the California native told the Grady County Board of Commissioners his philosophy of treating everyone with respect and being responsive to the local community. 

“And I think we accomplished that,” Tobar said. 

Hired in June 2013, Tobar’s tenure in the administrator’s seat saw many feats. 

In four years, Tobar said, Grady County has netted $17 million worth of road projects. 

Because a number of county roads were built “decades ago,” Tobar noted, often the “road base (is) not strong enough, road width (is) not wide enough.” 

The county has approximately 300 paved roads and 305 unpaved roads,. 

As county administrator, Tobar helped Grady County secure a slew of state and federal grants, including a Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank grant from the State Road and Tollway Authority in 2014 — the first county outside of metro Atlanta to be awarded the grant. 

Tobar also aided in the county receiving a $4.1 million Statewide Transportation Improvement Program grant from the Georgia Department of Transportation for the Old 179 full-depth reclamation.  

Throughout his time in Grady County, Tobar also stressed the importance of in-kind labor, notably from the Grady County Road Department, to diminish project costs. 

“It is so expensive to maintain roads,” Tobar said. 

Tobar’s departure could have hindered current road projects, such as Old 179 and a roundabout for Highway 188, because of his certifications to deliver the projects. 

The projects, Tobar said, are in a good place. 

Road work was not the only area of repair for the county. 

Tobar said he was “thrilled that we (Grady County) renovated, repurposed, and repaired 14 county facilities and implemented 14 information technology initiatives.” 

Along with oversight of the entire county, Tobar said another prominent aspect of his job was to steer the Grady County Board of Commissioners in the right direction and offer the right recommendation — even if it proved to be difficult and unpleasant. 

“I hope the next county administrator has the courage to do so,” he said of his successor. 

Tobar said the reason to leave came from what he felt as “a good stopping point.” 

“I have a responsibility to my profession,” he added.  

Tobar said Grady County has “great people” and the county’s departments are led by “excellent leaders and managers.” 

“It was a honor to serve the people of the community,” he said.  

Reporter Jordan Barela can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1826.