Anniston City Council Accepts City Manager’s Resignation
Names Police Captain as Interim Leader
ANNISTON — The Anniston City Council voted unanimously Tuesday morning to accept the resignation of City Manager Kenneth Free during a specially called meeting.
At the council’s 9 a.m. meeting, members voted 5–0 to acknowledge and accept Free’s resignation while expressing appreciation for his service to the city. During his tenure, Free worked with city staff and leadership to support the daily operations of municipal government and the delivery of services to Anniston residents.
City officials thanked Free for his contributions and wished him success in his future endeavors.
To ensure continuity of city operations during the transition, the council appointed Anniston Police Department Captain Matthew Caballero as interim city manager.
Caballero brings more than two decades of public service experience to the role and has worked closely with city leadership and multiple departments throughout his career. Officials said his familiarity with city operations and longstanding service to the community will help guide Anniston during the transition period.
Caballero has served with the Anniston Police Department for more than 22 years and currently serves as commander of the Uniform Patrol Division, the department’s largest division, where he supervises more than 40 officers. Over the course of his career, he has also served as Investigative Division commander, Special Operations lieutenant, Patrol lieutenant, and Training and Inspections sergeant. In those positions, he has worked alongside city administrators and department heads while overseeing major operations, investigations, and personnel.
In addition to his law enforcement career, Caballero holds a Juris Doctor degree from Faulkner University’s Jones School of Law and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Faulkner University.
Caballero and his wife, Claire Starling Caballero, have lived in Anniston for more than 22 years. The couple has two children, Olivia, 22, and Ian, 20.
City officials said Caballero will serve in the interim role while the council begins the process of selecting a permanent city manager.
The Anniston City Council plans to work with a nationally recognized municipal executive search firm in the coming weeks to conduct a nationwide search for qualified candidates. City leaders said the goal is to identify an experienced local government professional with the vision and leadership needed to guide Anniston in the future.
