Her Vision Is
Progressive Michelle L. Brown-Mang, Deputy Director, Columbus Consolidated Public Works Department
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undrahlia “Drale” Short is the newest director of the Public Works Department for the Columbus Consolidated Government, with 39 years of service within the very department in which she has performed several roles throughout her career. Her progressive ideals, excellent work ethic, and strive to serve started with the foundation laid by past public works directors. They mentored Short to be firm but fair, and encouraged her to enact an open-door policy while also being receptive to change that makes sense and improves service. With a staff of more than 400 employees, her current role will encompass Public Works in its entirety, which includes: • Animal Care and Control Center • Waste Collection, Recycling and Landfills • Rainwater Division • Facility Maintenance • Fleet Maintenance • Repairs and Maintenance, Streets Division • Beautification Division; ROW/Forestry • Community Service • Safety and Training Program • Administration Staff • City Cemeteries Division • In-house GIS Division Short began her career in 1983, two years after graduating from Columbus High School. She has served in various capacities during her career, in addition to volunteering to work with various city groups. For the last three years she has served as the Deputy Director of Public Works, Internal Services. Her responsibilities included overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Animal Care and Control Center, the city
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Drale Short takes pride in providing the residents of Muscogee County with the best services possible, and to make Columbus one of the best cities to live and raise a family in the southeast.” cemeteries, Drivers Training/Safety Program,Facilities Maintenance Division, and FleetManagement. She also managed the overall divisional budgets of more than $40 million, as well as the inventory of equipment valued at $1.33 million annually. Short was hired by the City of Columbus, GA as the Administrative Assistant to the Director of Public Works. She soon found herself looking for more challenges, absorbing all available information and learning all aspects of this ever-evolving department. She was then promoted to supervisor over the Operations Center, now referred to as the Citizens Service Center or 311 Center. As she took on this demanding position, she researched ways to improve the handling of information for the department. She then introduced technology that was beneficial to this section. Shortly after, she was promoted to Operations Manager for the Department of Public Works. In 1998, Short underwent extensive training to become a certified Tool Trainer for the City’s Total Quality Management Program. This program required an organization-wide effort to install and make permanent changes to the climate, demonstrating an organization
continuously improving its ability to deliver high-quality products and services to its customers. Short is committed to providing exceptional service to all customers regardless of the subject matter or if they are an internal or external customer. Her daily goal is to constantly look for ways to improve the processes within the Department of Public Works. She takes pride in providing the residents of Muscogee County with the best services possible, and to make Columbus one of the best cities to live and raise a family in the southeast. A graduate of Troy State University, Short obtained her Baccalaureate Degree in Business with a minor in Management. She is the daughter of Retired Major Samuel R. Short and Julia Mack Short, and the granddaughter of civic leader Ardahlia Mack. Short states that it was while watching her grandmother, in a wheelchair at the time, work to improve her community with direct determination and conviction, that she fell in love with servant leadership. It’s those characteristics she obtained during her formative years that have become a part of who “Drale” Short strives to be.
I s s u e 2 – J u l y/A u g u s t 20 2 2 | G EO RG I A P U B L I C WO R K S
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