Darlington appoints Hawkins City Manager
Lenessa Hawkins, new Darlington City Manager.
Darlington City Council has unanimously voted to appoint Lenessa E. Hawkins to serve as its new City Manager.
Hawkins joins the City of Darlington with more than 19 years of governmental experience, 13 of which have been spent in local government service.
“I would like to welcome Lenessa Hawkins, our new City Manager, as she joins us in working to build a beautiful city for all our residents,” said Mayor Curtis Boyd. “I’m excited for our new journey together.”
Hawkins fills the City Manager position after it was departed by John Payne in April 2024. The South Carolina Municipal Association recommended more than 20 applicants to Darlington City Council, and Hawkins was one of five who were interviewed. Bill Taylor and longtime city employee, Gloria Pridgen, had stints in serving as Interim City Manager.
“It is an honor and a privilege to serve as the next City Manager for the City of Darlington,” Hawkins said. “Having grown up in Hartsville, I have connections to the City of Darlington through family and former work experiences. As a public servant leader, I anticipate serving all of Darlington, from the youngest to the oldest and from the newcomers to the long timers. I look forward to working with City Council to carry out their vision on behalf of the citizens.”
Hawkins comes to Darlington from Charlotte, NC, where she served as the Grants and Contracts Administrator for Centralina Regional Council since August of 2022. Prior to that role, she was hired as the Finance/Human Resources Director at the City of Lake City, SC in 2015 and the Deputy County Administrator for Calhoun County, SC in 2019, where she was responsible for overseeing the departments of Animal Control, Parks & Recreation, Building & Planning and E911 addressing, as well as supporting the Economic Development function.
Hawkins has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Francis Marion University, and she also earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Financial Management from Clemson University. In addition, Hawkins was a member of the inaugural class of the Local Government Leadership Institute (LGLI), which is hosted by Coastal Carolina University, College of Charleston, Francis Marion University, The Darla Moore Foundation and South Carolina City and County Management Association. She also completed the prestigious NC Municipal and County Administration course offered by UNC Chapel Hill’s School of Government.
To learn more about the City of Darlington, visit cityofdarlington.com or call 843-398-4000.
