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If you’ve been around Magee lately, chances are you’ve seen a white pickup pulling a trailer, hauling a mower, or parked at one of our city parks. Chances are, Montez Chatman is nearby, hard at work.
Montez recently joined the City of Magee Parks and Recreation Department as Assistant Director, and if his enthusiasm is any indication, our parks are in good hands.
A graduate of Magee High School, Montez continued his education at William Carey University and Jackson State University. But no matter where life took him, his heart always stayed in Magee.
“I grew up in the Raleigh Annex Apartments,” Montez shared. “Rickey and Joan Davidson managed the apartments, and Mrs. Joan always made sure we had playground equipment and places to play. I never forgot that.”
Those childhood memories helped shape his desire to give back.
“I want to give back to my city and the youth of our community,” Montez said.
His supervisor, Parks and Recreation Director Susan Mangum, couldn’t say enough about her new assistant.
“Montez is a worker,” Susan said. “There isn’t anything I’ve asked him to do that he hasn’t done well.”
She describes Montez as someone who doesn’t believe in sitting behind a desk.
“He’s always wanting to do something,” she said. “He has ideas. He has a vision for our city. Most of all, he cares. Loving Magee and our young people is just part of who he is.”
And she’s right. One minute you’ll find Montez checking on a playground, the next he’s mowing grass, hauling equipment, cleaning park restrooms, watering ball fields, or making sure everything is ready for the next group of kids to enjoy.
Around here, that’s just called pitching in.
So, the next time you see that white truck around town, give Montez a wave. He’s not just taking care of our parks—he’s investing in the future of Magee, one playground, one ball field, and one child at a time.
Welcome to the Parks, Montez. We’re glad you’re on the team, and we’re looking forward to seeing all the good things ahead!
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