John B. Atkinson

Col John B. Atkinson (June 17, 1894 – April 28, 1965) was an American city manager, businessman, and military officer who served as the first city manager of Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Early life Col John B. Atkinson was born in Cambridge on June 17, 1894, to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Atkinson. In 1931 he was appointed a personal aide to Governor Joseph B. Ely. He retired with the rank of Colonel. He made over 90 trips to Europe and in 1939 he was detained in Czechoslovakia after Nazi Germany took over the country and the Bata factory. On January 5, 1942, the council voted 6 to 3 in favor of appointing Atkinson. As city manager, Atkinson oversaw the government of Massachusetts' fifth largest city. By 1945 he reduced the city's debt from $11.6 million to $6.4 million while lowering the tax rate. Atkinson was responsible for purchasing the city's first snow plows and modern equipment for the police and fire departments. He transferred responsibility for road repair, municipal building maintenance, and publishing from private contractors to city bureaus. After World War II he sent buyers across the United States to purchase military surplus, which allowed the city to purchase goods at a deep discount. He also served as vice-president of the International City Managers' Association. In 1948 he was reappointed by a 6 to 3 vote, with the 3 opposition councilors voting for Boston Chamber of Commerce president Michael T. Kelleher. In 1949 he earned a degree in public administration from Harvard University. On August 4, 1952, the city council voted 5 to 4 to replace Atkinson with school headmaster John J. Curry. When he left office, Cambridge was one of only two cities in the state to have a lower tax rate in 1952 than in 1941.