City Promotes Asst. City Manager, Interim Chief

The City of Sandy Springs Announces Promotion of Keith Sanders to Assistant City Manager; Jesse Bernard to Serve as Interim Fire Chief

May 21, 2026

The City of Sandy Springs is pleased to announce the promotion of Fire Chief Keith Sanders to the position of Assistant City Manager for Infrastructure and Capital Program Delivery. Division Chief Jesse Bernard has also been promoted to Interim Fire Chief, both effective May 21, 2026.

"Chief Sanders has served the City of Sandy Springs since 2014, building a distinguished record of leadership, operational excellence, and dedicated service to our community," said City Manager Eden Freeman. "His experience and institutional knowledge position him to step seamlessly into this expanded role. He leaves the Fire Department in an exceptional position under Interim Fire Chief Jesse Bernard, whose combination of operational depth, administrative experience, and professional preparation make him well suited to lead the Fire Department through this transition."

Sanders' career in fire service spans 47 years, a testament to a lifetime of public service. In his new role, he will oversee the Public Works and Facilities and Capital Construction departments and serve as the senior staff lead in evaluating and implementing water reliability options, a critical strategic priority for Sandy Springs as we plan for the long-term needs of our growing community.

Sanders holds a Master of Public Administration from Columbus State University and a Bachelor of Science from Toccoa Falls College. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy (Class 255) and holds the Certified Public Manager designation from the University of Georgia.

Chief Bernard joined the Sandy Springs Fire Department in 2015 and served as Deputy Fire Marshal, where he helped lead the transition of the Fire Marshal's Office and played a key role in developing the City's Next 10 Comprehensive Plan. In 2021, he gained experience as Chief Building Official and Facilities Life Safety Analyst at Nebraska Medicine, giving him a strong foundation in code compliance, permitting, and capital facilities operations. He returned to the Sandy Springs Fire Department in 2023, most recently as Division Chief, overseeing daily operations, recruitment, succession planning, and strategic planning initiatives.

In his 25th year of fire service, Bernard holds a Master of Science in Management from Troy University, a Project Management Professional certification from Georgia Tech, and an array of national fire service credentials including Chief Fire Officer and Fire Marshal designations from the Center for Public Safety Excellence.