Kennesaw Mayor Derek Easterling visited Kennesaw State University Tuesday, Nov. 15, to speak to graduate students about leadership and the future of public service.
Thirty students earning their master’s degree in public administration asked Easterling questions about his stance on political issues, his philosophy on leadership and the development of the city of Kennesaw.
“For all the mix of specializations we have in the room, Mayor Easterling is a really good source,” said Jerry Herbel, director of the MPA program. “He’s got experience in international diplomacy from the deck of an aircraft carrier, he knows a lot about management and he also has a lot to say about public service.”
Easterling visited as a speaker for “Café MPA,” a regularly hosted event organized by the Master of Public Administration program. This informal gathering of MPA students invites various people working in the field of public service — including city council members, state and federal employees and nonprofit organization directors — to talk with students about current events and sometimes internship or job opportunities.
Easterling spent much of his address offering advice, even reading from a list of personal rules he carries with him in his pocket. He emphasized “transformational leadership,” the process of building his subordinates up rather than bringing them down.
“It’s transformational when you help other people realize the difference that they can make,” Easterling said.
That, he said, is one of the key aspects of effective public service, along with integrity, consistency and a willingness to admit when you don’t have the answers.
“Government is supposed to be regular people making decisions for regular people,” he said.
Easterling also discussed his plans for developing the city of Kennesaw, particularly the downtown area, to include more green space, public transportation hubs and multi-use facilities — all of which Kennesaw residents have indicated they want.
The city aims to coordinate with KSU to use the B.O.B. for downtown runs, and there are plans to add more commercial space and improve Depot Park.
The address concluded with a Q&A, and students inquired about topics like the possibility of legalizing marijuana and the city of Kennesaw’s ban on households with more than two unrelated adults.
The mayor said he would not consider legalizing marijuana in the city of Kennesaw. Easterling also explained that the ban has a lot to do with homeowner associations’ negative view of college students.
“It’s a perception, but you’re the ones who can change that perception,” he said.
He did, however, encourage students to participate in Kennesaw City Council meetings in order to make their voices heard. The meetings take place at 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Monday of every month at 2529 J.O. Stephenson Avenue.
Easterling began his first term as mayor in January 2016. Before that, he was a service member in the United States Navy, a deputy sheriff for the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office and a security supervisor for WellStar Kennestone Hospital.