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Former GOP head to run for commission seat
Jim Harrell announced plans Wednesday to seek election to Forsyth’s District 3 seat
ByToddTruelove
—
Staff Writer
Jim Harrell, the former
chairman of the Forsyth
County Republican Party, said
Wednesday he plans to seek
election to the District 3 seat
Court affirms board
ruling on Dane Perry
Administrator leaves job in Powder Springs
ByToddTruelove
Staff Writer
Forsyth County Superior
Court Judge Jeffrey Bagley
has upheld the reinstatement
of Forsyth County Assistant
Administrator Dane Perry,
who was fired in September
2004 amid allegations he
solicited
gifts from
r county ven¬
dors.
> ***'•■"' Perry,
under
«SE=a4i vr county civil
service
policies,
challenged
his termi
Perry nation for
soliciting
gifts such as football tickets,
The county’s three-member
Civil Service Board later
reinstated him while reduc
ing his salary by $20,000.
While Perry was waiting
for the Forsyth County posi
tion to be resolved when he
took a job last summer with
the city of Powder Springs
as the city manager.
However, when called at
the Powder Springs city’s
offices for comment on
Wednesday, employees said
he no longer worked there
and that his last day was
Monday.
While the Forsyth County
Civil Service Board acknowl
edged Perry’s conduct was
inappropriate, their ruling
was in part due to the local
government’s failure to give
Perry the pre-dismissal con
ference which is afforded
County manager proposes
options for construction of
driver services
ByToddTruelove
Staff Writer
Forsyth County Manager Jeff
Quesenberry on Tuesday recommended the
Board of Commissioners construct a brick
and mortar facility for driver services esti¬
mated to cost $5.5 million.
The new 10,000-square-foot building is
to be leased by the Georgia Department of
Driver Services at a cost of $15 per square
foot and serve about 120,000 drivers from
Forsyth, Dawson County and north Fulton
County each year.
State Rep. Jack Murphy (R-Cumming)
met with the board during a previous meet¬
ing to present the proposal which comes
from Gov. Sonny Perdue. Murphy also
attended Tuesday’s called meeting.
Quesenberry’s recommendation is priced
at $5.5 million — about $2.5 million more
than the state’s requirements for a $3 million
tnetal building.
However, Quesenberry said the usability
of a brick building — at 50 or more years —
would be twice as long as that of a metal
building which is about 20 to 25 years.
He said the lease agreement with the
state would initially be for 20 years. With a
facility that, would last longer, he said the
state likely would renew the lease.
i th They’re more than positive they will
want to renew this,” said Quesenberry dur¬
ing Tuesday’s called meeting.
The exact location of the facility has yet
to declined be identified. Quesenberry saying on the Wednesday land
to comment, pur¬
chase — which is not included in the con¬
struction costs — has not been completed.
According to Quesenberry’s proposal —
through the lease agreement, the county
would regain $4.5 million of the construc¬
tion costs over the course of 30 years. In the
end, the county manager’s estimates indicate
the facility would cost the local government
V S
on the Forsyth County Board
of Commissioners — currently
held by commission Chairman
Jack Conway,
Harrell said he planned
to officially announce his
decision just before the
Board of Commissioners’
*6
Despite the deferential
review given to the
county's decision, the
county failed to provide r / % j
any evidence support¬
ing finding of such a
necessity.
- Forsyth County Superior
Court Judge Jeffery Bagley
employees in county policies,
According to Bagley’s
ruling, the county argued
policy also gives them the
right to dismiss an employ
ee without such a confer
ence if necessary to protect
the county or the employee,
Bagley agreed that coun
ty policy does give depart
ment heads the authority to
terminate an employee with
out prior notice in such
instances, but wrote the
county had not proven what
constituted their decision to
not have the conference,
In his Nov. 21 ruling,
Bagley wrote, “The county
deemed it necessary to dis¬
miss Perry without need for a
pre-dismissal conference for
the generally stated purpose
of the best interests of the
county. Despite the deferen
tial review given to the
county’s decision, the coun¬
ty failed to provide any evi
dence supporting finding of
such a necessity.
€6
than They're positive more
they will want
to renew this I ■■
:
[lease on the
driver services X J
facility],
- Forsyth County
Manager Jeff Quesenberry
99
And the community would gain other
from the facility; such as bringing
new jobs into Forsyth County, eco¬
benefits from out-of-county drivers,
local education for teenage drivers dur¬
off-hours at the building.
Commission Chairman Jack Conway
with Quesenberry’s recommendation.
n I think it’s a wise proposal to build it
way,” said Conway.
In other business at the meeting, com¬
missioners approved spending $677,366 to
move communication systems to the new
Public Safety Complex on Settendown Road
and to build an 180-foot lattice tower on
Sawnee Mountain to allow for microwave
communication of public safety radios.
Information Technology staff member
Brian Converse presented plans to the board
for approval and said the money was in the
budget for the Public Safety Complex.
In addition, Converse said the initial esti¬
mate was $798,576 but a way was found to
lower the cost by eliminating the need to
relocate some of die equipment.
V
Thursday meeting.
Harrill is a graduate of
Georgia Tech.
ii Technically, I’m a rocket
engineer,” he said, adding he
worked as an aerotech engineer
for six years,
He is now the general man-
Questions on Perry’s
departure from the Powder
Springs position were
referred to Mayor Pat
Vaughn, but attempts to
contact her were unsuccess¬
ful by deadline.
Forsyth County Attorney
Ken Jarrard said commis¬
sioners are expected on
Thursday to discuss the rul¬
ing and whether to continue
the appeal process.
A statement issued by the
county on Wednesday indi¬
cates appeals will continue.
., The county believes it
must in good conscience
exhaust each and every legal
avenue to have its original
decision affirmed,” states
the release.
The county government
also fired Perry for taking
the job in Powder Springs,
and Perry has challenged
that termination. The Civil
Service Board may conduct
hearings on that issue in the
near future.
ager of a local informative Web
site, www.cumminghome.com.
Harrell said he and his wife,
Judy, have been married for 40
years and have lived in Forsyth
County for almost a decade.
He said after they moved to
the county was about the time
Chamber president joins
upcoming Vickery YMCA
Photo/Ron Logan
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Photo/Ron Logan
James McCoy, from left, Forsyth County-Cumming Chamber of Commerce presi¬
dent; Andy Walker Forsyth County-Cumming Chamber of Commerce chairman;
Kevin Thompson, Forsyth County Family YMCA executive director, speak in front of
the YMCA building in the Vickery community, after McCoy joined the YMCA,
Wednesday morning.
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Friday-12/2 8:30- 1:30 p m.
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Sponsored by Community Care Outreach Ministries -
A 501-C3 Non-profit Organization Dedicated to Restoring:
DIGNITY, HOPE, and A REASON TO SMILE!
FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS — Friday, December 2,2005
he became involved in politics,
In addition to chairing the
local GOP, he has been its vice
chairman and assisted in coor
dinating U.S. Sen. Saxby
Chambliss’ campaign in
Forsyth County.
Conway, serving in his
:v
f n
9 ;
Harrell
first term on
the commis
sion, previ
o u s 1 y
announced
he intends to
seek re-elec
tion.
PAGE 3A