Commissioners approve County Manager contract

Business

WHITE COUNTY, Ga. – The White County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved an employment contract with Joey Cason, the new county manager during Tuesday’s called meeting.

Cason will begin work Sept. 20. His compensation package includes an annual salary of $112,000 with a review at the end of six months, three weeks’ vacation, up to $5,000 in moving expense, participation in the county employees’ benefit program and a county-owned vehicle.

Cason previously served as executive director of the Camden County Public Service Authority.

“For me, this is a kind of dream come true,” said Cason whose father served as a city manager and county administrator. In 1997, he said he set a goal of becoming a county administrator.

The county has been awarded close to $12 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, (ARPA), half of which was received in May with the remainder due in May 2022. Commissioners voted to designate the funding to construction of a multi-use facility to be constructed at Mt. Yonah Preserve.

The facility will be used to support public health mass care in preparation for future hazards or pandemics that have been identified in the county’s emergency plan. Anticipated uses include mass vaccinations, storm shelter, storing emergency supplies in a climate-controlled environment and storm shelter.

Commissioners unanimously agreed to apply for two separate grants that would provide funding for expansion of broadband services to the county.

The first is a $10.02 million National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) grant on behalf of Windstream. $7.7 million would come from federal funding with Windstream $ 2.3 million. If approved, broadband would become available to an additional 4,680 households.

The county will also apply for a state grant on behalf of Trailwave HEMC in the amount of $15 million, $12 million of which would come from state funding with the balance provided by Trailwave. If approved, broadband would become available to an additional 5,120 households.

In both cases, the county merely be a conduit. No county funds will be expended.

 

 

Back to Top