The Macon Water Authority (MWA) Board is recognizing its longest tenured current Member by dedicating the Frank K. Patterson Engineering Complex on the Authority’s headquarters campus in his honor.
Frank Patterson was first elected to the MWA Board in 2004, to serve the people of District 4, and he was most recently re-elected during last year’s General Election, hence his swearing in during the January 2023 MWA Board Meeting.
With 18 years of service (and counting) on the MWA Board, including 12 years as Vice Chairman, Mr. Patterson has been a part of many milestones in the utility’s history. Some of those highlights during his tenure include:
- The formation of a Stormwater Utility Division to oversee stormwater management for Macon-Bibb County.
- The $51 million rehabilitation of the utility’s two wastewater treatment facilities.
- The recruitment of several large businesses and noted “jobs providers” to the community, from Tractor Supply to Amazon to Irving Consumer Products, and others.
- Several bond issues for continual upgrades and expansion of high-quality water and sewer infrastructure.
- Addressing Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) issues through pipe relining and a CMOMs program to identify hot spots for repair or replacement.
- Upgrades to the Authority’s financial and customer service software, as well as system-wide replacement of customer meters with Automated Meter Reading (AMR) technology.
- Formation of a Waterline Extension Program to incentivize new customers to connect to the system.
- Advocating for competitive employee pay and benefits to attract and retain the best water professionals in the industry.
- Growth of the annual MWA Kids Fishing Derby.
- Many facility and system awards, including the “Best Tasting Drinking Water in North America” as judged by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) in 2009.
“Frank has been really passionate about expanding the system, especially by offering incentives for those residents who are not our current customers to tie on through waterline extensions,” says Dwight Jones, District 3 Member who has served with Mr. Patterson the longest among current Board Members. “In addition, he has always been loyal to the Authority and a leading advocate for our employees.”
As an Authority Board Member, Mr. Patterson Chairs the Engineering and Outdoor Recreation Committees, where he is a strong supporter of the annual MWA Kids Fishing Derby. He also serves on the Personnel, Pension and Policy Committees. Mr. Patterson Chairs the MWA’s Macon Water Alliance, which is the Authority’s non-profit Macon Water Environmental Education subsidiary, while serving as a Member of the Macon Soils Board as well.
Mr. Patterson has worked in local government for over 53 years, including 35 years with Bibb County Government, including time as the Tobesofkee Recreation Area’s Assistant Director. He also spent four years with the Bibb County Engineering and Public Works Departments. Additionally, he worked in the private sector as an Inspector and Project Manager with Moreland Altobelli Associates, LLC, an Atlas Technical Consultants (Atlas) Company.
Mr. Patterson was born in McRae, Georgia, but has lived in Macon since 1965. He graduated from the Georgia-Alabama School of Commerce with a certificate in accounting. He also has received certification from the National School of Conservation and the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government’s Management Development Program.
Mr. Patterson and his wife Patricia have been married for over 50 years and have three children and five grandchildren. They are members of the First Evangelical Church in Macon.
Please visit the “Learn More” link below for a photo gallery from the Frank K. Patterson, Jr. Engineering Complex Dedication.
Media Contact: Chris Wood, Ph.D.
P: 770-757-1681
E: chris@jwapr.com or john.wood@gcsu.edu