ARC appoints six new board members

DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond and Rockdale County Chairman Oz Nesbitt are among the six new board members the Atlanta Regional Commission has welcomed aboard. In addition to Thurmond and Nesbitt, the ARC also swore in on Jan. 25:

• Mike Boyce, chair, Cobb County Commission
• Romona Jackson Jones, chair, Douglas County Commission
• Eric Maxwell, chair, Fayette County Commission
• June Wood, chair, Henry County Commission

“We’re excited to welcome these new members to the ARC Board,” said ARC Board Chair Kerry Armstrong. “We’ve got a busy year on tap as the Atlanta region continues to grow and change. I look forward to the insights and energy that these members will bring to the table.”

Armstrong also appointed the following board officers:

• Vice Chair: Kasim Reed, mayor, City of Atlanta
• Secretary: Charlotte Nash, chair, Gwinnett County Commission
• Treasurer: Bob Reeves, citizen member, District 3
• Parliamentarian: Julie Keeton Arnold, citizen member, District 12

The 39-member ARC Board consists of the county commission chairs from each of the 10 member counties, the mayor and a council member from the City of Atlanta, and a mayor from each of the 10 counties with the exception of Fulton, which has two mayoral representatives, one from North Fulton and one from South Fulton. The board also includes a representative from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and 15 citizen members selected by the board’s elected officials.

Elected officials serving on ARC Board: Buzz Ahrens, chair, Cherokee County Commission; Clark Boddie, mayor, City of Palmetto; Mike Boyce, chair, Cobb County Commission; Eric Clarkson, mayor, City of Chamblee; Eric Dial, mayor, Town of Tyrone; John Eaves, chair, Fulton County Commission; Nancy Harris, mayor, City of Duluth; Steve Hutchison, mayor, City of Hampton; Romona Jackson Jones, chair, Douglas County Commission; Eric Maxwell, chair, Fayette County Commission; Randy Mills, mayor, City of Conyers; Ceasar Mitchell, president, Atlanta City Council; Charlotte Nash, chair, Gwinnett County Commission; Oz Nesbitt, chair, Rockdale County Commission; Willie Oswalt, mayor, City of Lake City; Kasim Reed, mayor, City of Atlanta; Rick Roberts, mayor, City of Ball Ground; Rochelle Robinson, mayor, City of Douglasville; Michael Thurmond, CEO, DeKalb County; Jeff Turner, chair, Clayton County Commission; Steve Tumlin, mayor, City of Marietta; Jere Wood, mayor, City of Roswell; June Wood, chair, Henry County Commission.

Citizen members serving on ARC Board:  Brant Aden, District 10; Kerry Armstrong, District 9; Julie Keeton Arnold, District 12; Eddie Ausband, District 1; Kip Berry, District 5; Dennis Burnette, District 15; Rob Garcia, District 13; Mike Houchard, District 6; Liane Levetan, District 7; Mark Mathews, District 14; Mickey McGuire, District 11; Amol Naik, District 4; Bob Reeves, District 3; Donna Sheldon, District 8; Steve Stephens, District 2.

The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) is the official planning agency for the 10-county Atlanta Region including Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties as well as the City of Atlanta and 72 other cities.  The Atlanta Regional Commission serves as a catalyst for regional progress by focusing leadership, attention and planning resources on key regional issues.