New Monticello Clerk Hails from Eatonton

New Monticello City Clerk, Karen Sanford Pennamon, said that she is excited about her new position as the City Clerk.

She chose to apply for the City Clerk position as it would be a new challenge after spending the last 18 years working with the Planning and Development Department in Putnam County as an Administrative Assistant (managed Administration and Operations). But her experience isn’t limited to that.

She also worked at Central State Hospital as an Administrative Assistant and for the Department of Transportation for a time. The DOT job required her to drive to downtown Atlanta from her home in Eatonton for more than three years. After leaving the DOT, she went to work at Hancock State Prison in Sparta.

Mrs. Pennamon, whose father was in the Army, graduated high school in Germany and returned to Georgia. She furthered her education at what was then Macon Technical College.

And her life in the service served her well, apparently, as she signed up and served four years in the U.S. Army herself, attaining the rank of E-5 Sergeant before returning to the private sector.

Mrs. Pennamon and her husband, Sylvester (Chiko), enjoy riding motorcycles and they also enjoy domestic and international travel. She said they pray each time before they leave and when they return.

They have two sons, Devonte, 28, who works in Madison and has blessed her with a grandson, Kyan, who is one year old. Her youngest son is Chase, who currently lives at home, is a senior majoring in Broadcast Journalism at Georgia State University. He also works in Atlanta. Chase is considering joining the Army or Air Force once he finishes his degree, she said. She also has a dog named Rosie, who she adopted from a shelter.

Mrs. Pennamon has enjoyed her career path and looks forward to working in Monticello. She said the Interim City Manager, Peggy Billerman, has been instrumental in her transition to the City Clerk position. She also said the office staff, Kendra James, Kelly Bell and Carnethia Pennamon have “amazing” teamwork and she appreciates that very much. They made the transition easy, she said. Mrs. Pennamon said she has been asked if she is related to the County Commission Chairman Carl Pennamon in Jasper County, but she is sad to say that she is not.

Mrs. Pennamon began working for the city on June 10, and has already taken minutes for a City Council meeting, attended a Chamber of Commerce meeting, and got herself more or less settled into her latest challenge.