Shirley Franklin

Shirley Franklin served as the Commissioner of Cultural Affairs under Mayor Maynard Jackson. Subsequently, she was named Chief Administrative Officer and City Manager under Mayor Andrew Young. Franklin’s 2001 run for mayor was her first run for public office. She won, succeeding Mayor Bill Campbell after winning 50 percent of the vote, defeating several candidates. Franklin made repairing the Atlanta sewer system a main focus of her office. In 2002, Franklin announced an initiative called “Clean Water Atlanta” to address the problem and begin improving the city’s sewer system. Franklin’s commitment to making the city’s infrastructure more efficient led her to being named the 2002 BOMA-Atlanta Civic Leadership award winner.