CPA Ken Walker will now juggle the details that keep Vidalia running.

Walker was hired recently to fill the city manager position left vacant by Kenneth Davis’ death in February.

The city manager does the city’s bookkeeping.

Walker has been doing some work for the city since February.

“He stepped in and helped us work with the loss of Davis,” Mayor Hyram Copeland said.

Walker worked with the city previously as an employee of Silas Simmons LLP, where he was a certified public accountant, Copeland said.

The city advertised that the position was open and reviewed all of the applications that were submitted, Copeland said.

Walker, who has a doctorate in business, ultimately had the resume worth choosing, Copeland said.

“He has just tremendous experience,” he said.

Walker has been busy for the past few months, he said.

“When it was tax season, I had a lot of clients, and the city of Vidalia was one of them,” Walker said. “Since I was hired, I haven’t had time to do much yet.”

Walker has already taken a trip to Dallas to attend a user forum for the new computer system that the city has installed.

The new system is accounting software that keeps payroll, accounts payable and cash management in order, Walker said.

He also worked with the city to help lower utility rates.

“I knew that the rates were coming down for the cost of electricity, and so we sat down and looked at what we could do to pass that on to the customers,” he said.

Walker has previously worked in government. He was controller of Hancock County and worked under (former) Mississippi Gov. Ray Mabus when Mabus was the state auditor.

Though he was born in Memphis, Tenn., Walker was raised in Vicksburg.

“I’ve lived in small towns, and I prefer the small town where everyone knows your name and everyone knows their neighbor,” he said.