By DAVE HAMRICK
dhamrick@thecitizennews.com

Former Fayetteville city manager Joe Morton is on his way back home if City Council approves his contract Monday, and Morton says he's happy about that.

“I'm not only looking forward to it — I'm getting a little excited about it,” Morton said this week after the city tentatively announced his return to its top administrative post last week.

Morton, who left the city manager's post two years ago to take a position as Peachtree City's assistant city manager, has given Peachtree City three weeks notice and expects to move back into the manager's office in Fayetteville April 12 or 13.

He previously held the Fayetteville position from 1994 to 1998.

He hadn't thought about returning to Fayetteville, Morton said, but a city councilman phoned him and asked if he was interested.

”My initial reaction was that I didn't think so,” he said, “but I sat down with the mayor and talked about he advantages and disadvantages, and there were a lot more positives than negatives.”

City Council has had only one change since Morton left town — Mayor Mike Wheat retired and was replaced by former Councilman Kenneth Steele, who was replaced by Planning Commission member Bill Talley.

“I'm familiar with Bill and worked with him on the Planning Commission, so that's not a problem,” said Morton. “I think I've got a good sense of the direction they're looking for right now and I believe I can help them get there,” he said.

“I like the vision and goals of the council, the Main Street program and how that fits into things... I think it's a pretty good match-up,” he added.

Personal issues entered into the decision as well, Morton said. His family still lives in Fayetteville — his daughter is in school in the city and his wife teaches there.

He acknowledged that he is stepping into a somewhat difficult situation with the resignation of former city manager Michael Bryant under the cloud of a sexual harassment investigation.

“There's been a lot of turmoil lately, from all sides,” he said. “I hope we can get things settled down.”

Morton has spent most of his career in city government in Georgia, including four years as city manager in Cairo and two more as assistant city manager there. He was also assistant city manager in Moultrie for several years during the 1980s.