Jonathan Lynn is the city administrator for Winder. He came to Winder in September 2024 from Rincon, Georgia, where he was city manager. He served as city manager for Hogansville, town manager for Tyrone and county administrator for Surry County, Virginia.

He got his start in planning and zoning. He holds a master's in Public Administration MPA from Georgia Southern University, and he is a certified public manager through the University of Georgia. 

What does a city administrator do?

A city administrator is the employee that the mayor and council hires and is trusted to run the day-to-day operations of the City. For Winder, that is essentially managing the day-to-day operations of every department that the City of Winder has, from the golf course to the police department, fire department, water, wastewater—all of the above.

Is this what you pictured yourself doing when you were in college? 

Absolutely not. I was all set to go to law school. I wanted to be a lawyer from the time I could remember, until I was a senior in college. I'd taken the LSAT, and had done all my applications to law school. One day, we had a representative from the city of Statesboro come and speak with us in one of my classes. I said, man, that's what I want to go do. And I did an immediate pivot to grad school and to get into local government with the goal of becoming a city manager.

What did you see in that presentation that appealed to you? 

I grew up in a household where my dad worked for the Board of Education in the county that I grew up in. I had a public servant mindset; I just didn't know it. There was just something about being involved in so many different aspects of what a community can do. I don't think I really knew what a city manager was until that person came and talked to my class.

What kind of education and experience do you need if you want to work in city management? 

The education component is critical. Many people have degrees in business administration or public administration. Learning about finance or political science helps you out with the organizational aspect.

In terms of experience, you're going want to get as much experience in as many different aspects as you possibly can. For me personally, I came up through planning and zoning where I worked at a regional commission. I was able to work for the state, and then went into the community development department director roles to get to where I was and where I am now.

You want somebody that has the ability to deal with people that can have critical and crucial conversations that a normal person may not have the ability to do.

What does a day in your life look like?

No two days are the same. You might spend half a day reviewing a personnel manual to improve employees' lives or searching for a file from a development that happened seven years ago. 

You want to be able to find solutions. You want to be able to help people. Then, there are the really great days when you can say, "We finished this project today." Right now, we have a project that has been 30 years in the making, finally moving forward to improve businesses and drainage. Working with department heads, outside agencies, and state agencies to secure funding and approvals is exhausting but fulfilling.

 You're wearing a lot of hats every day. And sometimes, you gain more experience in some areas than you'd prefer. In smaller governments, losing a department head means stepping in as police chief, finance director, or even running a golf course, all while managing daily operations. You gain just enough knowledge to help when needed. But what we have here in Winder is really great and very refreshing. We have a great complement of department heads that are all subject matter experts in their fields, and that is a blessing that not a lot of jurisdictions truly have. And we're very lucky.

What does it take to keep a city running? 

I encourage anyone to spend a day with a City employee. People take for granted that when you flush a toilet, the water is treated before returning to the environment. Your house needed permits, plumbing, and City services. Essential services like police and fire protection require careful budgeting, staffing, and oversight. Every department plays a role in keeping the City running smoothly, even if you don’t always see it.

What are some other things that people might not realize about city administration? 

We are not elected officials; we are hired to make decisions and run daily operations. Think of it like an hourglass—information flows from citizens to elected officials, then to the city manager or administrator, who directs it to the right departments. It then cycles back to officials and the public. Keeping this process smooth prevents misinformation and ensures the City runs effectively.

Do you have to make tough decisions?

Some days are better than others, but tough decisions happen daily. Every choice impacts everyone in the City, not just those who voted. As administrators, we’re responsible for ensuring tax dollars provide the best services—fixing roads, maintaining utilities, keeping police and fire departments running, and making sure employees are paid. It’s a big responsibility, but it’s rewarding to play a role in keeping the City running smoothly.

What surprised you about coming to the City of Winder?

For me, it’s the luxury of having a staff that truly works together. That’s not something you find everywhere. Departments collaborate, communicate, and share a common goal—whether it’s engineering with police, special events with communications, or finance striving to improve even after winning awards. Our golf course is beautiful, our first responders continuously train to serve better, and every team is committed to excellence. It’s refreshing to be part of a city where everyone works together to keep improving.

What is the most rewarding part of your job? 

The most rewarding part in this profession in general is being able to get put my kids in the car and take them somewhere that they want to go back to again, because you had a hand in it. Whether it's a park, restaurant, street or a sidewalk—you helped get it there. You helped guide the ship. You helped solve a problem. 

What is something that's coming up that you're really excited about?

Right now, we’re preparing to partner with the City of Auburn on a massive water reservoir—1 billion gallons, with a B. This project isn’t just about storing water; it’s about planning for future growth, ensuring clean drinking water for generations, and even preparing for emergencies like wildfires. It’s a true collaboration and a generational project that will have a lasting impact. Every milestone we reach means another step forward for the community, and that’s what makes it so exciting.

So a lot of what I hear you saying is that the City does a lot of the invisible things behind the scenes that you don't think about until something goes wrong.

I think the more you don't notice, the better we're doing.

That means we are getting things done. People take things for granted. When people just ride to the store and they ride home and don’t think about it, that means everything is moving the way it should be. 

What’s one thing people may not understand about running a city?

Finances. Many people are knowledgeable about government, but budgeting is complex. There’s no unlimited pool of money, so we have to prioritize. If we spend $90 fixing a pothole but also need to repair a dangerous sidewalk, we have to decide which comes first. It’s not about ignoring needs—it’s about being strategic and cost-effective without overburdening taxpayers. When we do request more funding, it’s always for a clear, necessary purpose.

What are some of the biggest challenges Winder is facing?

In a great way, we are our own biggest challenge. We know what Winder can be, and we’re working hard to get there. As demand for services grows, we need creative funding solutions without overburdening taxpayers. We’re building a strong brand, attracting great employees, and setting ourselves up for success. Our goal is to make Winder a model city—where others say, we want to be like Winder. That means setting the standard, planning smartly, and making sure we continue to grow the right way.

We are becoming an attractive place for people to live. We're situated in such an area geographically that it's very attractive for not only younger adults, but also aging out adults that don't want a big yard, but they want to be close to everything. 

We are in a growth position now. There's a precipice that we're all, we've got 1 or 2 ways to go, but we only get one chance to go in that direction. So we've got to make sure that we do it right.

What is the Winder Way? 

It’s about being relentless in our pursuit of excellence. Say we’re at Publix on a Saturday and walk past a piece of trash without picking it up—that’s not just a random person, that’s a City of Winder employee not leading by example.

But if we do pick it up, the narrative changes: “Did you see that City of Winder employee pick up trash on Saturday?” That simple act sets a tone. Maybe someone else sees it and thinks, “Maybe I should do that too.”

Or maybe they see a City employee hold the door for someone at church or help a child—that matters. People need to see us lead by example. These actions don’t cost anything. It’s just about showing up in simple ways that reflect the culture we’re building.

We want to be the place where people want to work. So let’s show what that looks like. We’re already doing great—but we can always be better. Everyone can do their part to make the community better. People notice, no matter where or when.

 *This conversation has been edited for length. 

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