| city manager |
Supporting small-town spirit
New city manager driven to help Tifton thrive
by Davis Cobb | photos courtesy of the City of Tifton
While he might still be settling into his position, Tifton’ s newest city manager has pledged to work his hardest to ensure that the Friendly City continues to thrive.
For the past few months Jeff Shoobridge has served as the city manager of Tifton, striving to assist the local government in supporting, uplifting, and improving the community and the lives of those that live in it.
Hired in August and officially assuming the position in October of last year, Shoobridge hit the ground running with the aim of helping Tifton grow and prosper, all the while ensuring the city keeps its small-town charm— after all, that very same locally-grown spirit led him to fall in love with the city himself.
Prior to his arrival in Tifton, Shoobridge held the position of city administrator in the Southern Minnesota town of Crookston for a few years. The town was small enough that he’ d been required to wear a few more hats as part of his duties, and while the workload certainly gave him plenty of experience related to running a city, Shoobridge wanted a job that would provide a more temperate climate and offer more stability for his family to settle into.
His search resulted in him becoming a finalist for the position of Tifton’ s city manager, and while he received a similar offer from two other communities, his prior research into the Georgia town had already made the decision for him.
“ The more I looked at Tifton, the better it looked,” Shoobridge said.“ The community, the people, the location— it just
JEFF SHOOBRIDGE
checked off every box my family and I were looking at for a longterm home.”
Shoobridge has spent the months since his hiring growing accustomed to Tifton’ s governmental processes and the greater
“ The more I looked at Tifton, the better it looked. The community, the people, the location— it just checked off every box my family and I were looking at for a long-term home.”
~ City Manager Jeff Shoobridge
14 TiftonScene | JANUARY 2026