One of Monroe County’s most beloved employees is retiring at the end of this month.
Keith Edge, who has worked for Monroe County for the past 11 years, will be stepping down from his position of real property appraiser in the Monroe County Tax Assessors’ office effective Jan. 31. Prior to his move to the tax assessors’ office five years ago, Edge served for nearly six years as the county’s recreation director.
Edge, who had a multi-decade career at Coca-Cola prior to coming to work for Monroe County in 2013, said he’s most enjoyed serving his hometown community and its citizens.
“I was able to meet so many people, especially as the recreation director,” Edge said. “I met a lot of families, a lot of kids. I’ve been able to watch kids that came up through the program now at the high school level and at the collegiate level. I think that’s what I’ve enjoyed the most. And being able to serve. Even in my position the last five-plus years as a tax assessor, it’s the same thing. I’m serving the citizens of Monroe County. And that’s kind of been the most enjoyable thing.”
Edge said he never imagined he’d go to work for a local government but said he felt the Lord leading him into the recreation director position in January 2013. Edge said his organizational skills and love for sports made the position a natural fit. Even years after leaving the rec director job in late 2018, Edge continues to contribute to the county’s recreation department as the leader of the new Monroe Champions baseball league for persons of all-abilities, which debuted in October 2022. Edge said he considers Monroe Champions “the finale of what my vision was when I was director.”
Edge said the recreation director job was the most challenging role he’s ever taken on, including serving as district sales manager at Coke, where his district covered 26 counties.
“It’s very demanding because all of your events are in the evening and on weekends, so you have to be very dedicated to work that kind of schedule,” Edge said. “The recreation department was the biggest mission field in Monroe County, so I felt like I was appointed to be there at the time I was there. And (current recreation director) Landon (Sparks) is doing a great job out there now. So that’s always good. When you move on from a company, you want your work to continue. That you get it to a certain point and then somebody else comes in.”
After years of working what he describes as 70 to 80 hours per week at Coke and as recreation director, Edge requested a transfer to the tax assessors’ office in 2018. As a real property appraiser, Edge visits all new building projects in Monroe County, including new homes, pools, pole barns, additions, remodels, etc. and evaluates the size and quality of the projects. He is responsible for photographing the sites and keying in the valuation information on the county’s tax digest. Edge said he was excited about the change to a 40-hour-a-week job when he joined the tax assessors’ office but said those 40 hours were extremely busy when he first started because the housing market began booming again after years in a recession.
Edge said during his time at Coke, he left Monroe County daily to travel to Atlanta, Griffin, or Macon. So despite living in Monroe County his whole life, Edge said he found himself traveling roads he’d never been on before when he became a real property appraiser. It was his best friend and co-worker, Ricky Wilson, who has worked in the Monroe County Tax Assessors’ office for 13 years, who was responsible for showing Edge the ropes when he began his new career.
“That was neat having my best friend train me for those first several months because I didn’t know anything about the tax assessors,” Edge recalled. “I didn’t know what the Homestead (Exemption) was. My wife did it. I was always gone.”
But Edge’s boss, Monroe County Chief Tax Appraiser Bobby Gerhardt, said it didn’t take Edge long to excel in the tax assessors’ office, just as he excelled in his earlier professional career.
“He has been one of the best employees that I have ever had in my life,” Gerhardt said of Edge. “He is very meticulous and very motivated. He does excellent work, and that’s why I hate to see him go.”
Edge spoke fondly of his years working for Gerhardt, Monroe County’s chief appraiser for the past nine years, as well.
“Bobby’s a very, very good boss,” Edge said of Gerhardt. “And I never used the word ‘boss’ even when I was a boss. He’s a very good team leader, coach. Bobby basically is there when you need him. I wouldn’t say he’s hands-off, but he allows you to do your job. . . He’s perfect for his position because he’s mild-mannered. His demeanor is calm. He has phenomenal knowledge obviously. I could stay here for another 20 years, and I’ll never have the knowledge in that particular office that he has.”
It might take Edge some time to get used to retirement. He has worked full-time for 46 years since he graduated high school and went to work for Benny Bostick at the Red and White grocery store. But he said he’s looking forward to spending more time with wife Celeste, two children, Rachel and Marcus, and five grandchildren, Morgan, Gavin, Malex, McRae, and Aiden, who range in age from 2 to 15.
“Those are my pride and joy right there,” Edge said of his grandkids, who affectionately call him “Keebo.”
Edge also has community-oriented activities already planned for retirement. He is the longtime games coordinator for the Wednesday night youth program at New Providence Baptist Church. In addition to leading the spring season of Monroe Champions, Edge will also continue to do play-by-play of Mary Persons athletic contests, including MP football, alongside his announcing partner, Wilson, on the Sportsmic website and app. Edge said Sportsmic is still expanding with plans to broadcast five MP boys and girls soccer games and 10 MP baseball games this spring in addition to its coverage of softball, football and boys and girls basketball. Edge said he focuses on service to the community in every endeavor he pursues.
“Back in 2020, the church (New Providence) gave us a gift bag, and it had a bracelet in there with Matthew 20:28 on it,” Edge said. “And I’ve worn it ever since. On the other side, it says, ‘Here to Serve.’ And that particular scripture is Matthew 20:28: ‘Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’ And that’s kind of my theme, my goal, is to continue to serve. God has allowed me to serve in my occupation the last 11 years and really my entire life. I want to continue that because He has definitely blessed me.”
But Edge said he’ll miss working for Monroe County alongside many co-workers he considers good friends.
“As a district sales manager at Coke, I had many, many employees: account managers, salesmen, merchandisers, drivers, you name it,” Edge said. “And then coming over to county government, I can say this, Monroe County is very fortunate. They have some of the best, dedicated employees that you will ever find. . . We’re very fortunate to have the employee base that we have here in Monroe County.”
