August 7th, 2020 by WCBC Radio
After a seven month void, the Downtown Development Commission has hired Melinda Kelleher as the new main street manager and executive director. The position has been vacant since the end of last year when Mikayla Dodge resigned. After a brief closed door session Thursday morning, the DDC issued a press release which described Kelleher, who just recently moved to Cumberland, as being a "highly accomplished fundraising and development professional with 26 years of experience.” Most recently she has been serving as the first vice president of development at Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities; and prior to that worked as the chief development officer at Atlanta Habitat for Humanity. DDC Chair Sandra Saville told WCBC News that 34 people applied for the job, with Kelleher emerging as the top choice of the search committee…
August 07, 2020 at 5:00 am, DPM said:
Her history of helping the homeless and other destitute folks makes her a great fit for downtown Cumberland!! lol
August 07, 2020 at 7:13 am, mac said:
I wish her the best of luck but it probably won’t be too long before she understands the sinking ship she has been asked to pilot.
She would do better to head up Habitat for Humanity here in the area and work toward affordable housing here in Cumberland. There is a lot of vacant land at the Rolling Mill site. Remember Rolling Mill? I wouldn’t be surprised if you don’t. Any and all talk about that boondoggle has just dried up.
The Mayor wanted to pay a consultant to determine housing potential ($60,000) with an emphasis on affordability. She’s the right person for that job.
August 07, 2020 at 9:34 am, Kevin said:
> Great idea. She may be perfect in that regard.
August 07, 2020 at 7:20 am, Ken said:
So she has done some fundraising, what experience does she have organizing large community events? Any? Is she going to do more than sit behind her desk in City Hall? She won’t last long once she realizes the disaster the DDC and the CEDC is in. Perhaps a year like Brandon Butler? Two years like Mikayla Dodge? It’ll be a short tenure.