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Leadership Jackson helps ESP camp. 3B
Jefferson hires Jason Tinsley as manager By LEANNE AKIN
lakin@clickthepaper.com
W. Jason Tinsley, who has served as county administrator of Wayne County since March of 2013, will be the new city manager of Jefferson. In a Tuesday afternoon called session, the Jefferson City Council voted to approve the employment contact negotiated between Mayor Roy Plott and Tinsley, who will report to his new position on March 2. Tinsley has submitted his resignation in Wayne County with his last official day there on March 1. The motion to accept the contract with the new city manager was made by Councilman
Steve Kinney and was seconded by Councilman Mark Mobley. The motion was unanimously approved with Councilman Don Kupis absent. Mayor Plott said the negotiation process, which was authorized by the council during a Jan. 9 called meeting held after both finalists had been interviewed by the council on Jan. 8 and 9, went smoothly. A search committee had narrowed the field of qualified applicants to two. The other candidate was Ben C. Andrews III, community development director of Americus. Plott said Tinsley is anxious to begin his work in Jefferson. The 10-page employment contract spells out the terms of employment as well as sal-
ary, vehicle expenses, relocation expenses not to exceed $8,000 and other matters including residency. Tinsley shall become a Jefferson resident within 12 months of his start date and he must remain a resident during his employment. The contract is through Dec. 31, 2016 and is automatically renewable for an additional year. His annual salary of $93,000 and $600 per month vehicle expense will fit into the budgeted salary for former city manager John Ward although some housekeeping budget adjustments will be required, according to interim city manager Priscilla Murphy. The contract specifies that the city will support Tinsley’s professional development and pay for some professional memberships and
reimburse him for registration fees, travel and expenses related to that professional enrichment. A question from Councilman Steve Quinn about accrued vacation and comp time was fielded. The council may review its policy and procedure manual on those issues. Tinsley, a Cleveland, Tenn., native, earned a Masters degree in City Management from the Graduate School of Business at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) where he also received a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. He previously served as assistant county manager and finance director of Habersham County for more than six years. He and his wife Mary Lynn curently live in Jesup. They have three sons.
Prologis Park I-85 OK’d for phase two By LEANNE AKIN
lakin@clickthepaper.com
Farah Bohannon The Paper
Hitachi officials and Braselton Mayor Bill Orr put the finishing touches on the planting of a new Japanese Flowering Cherry outside Hitachi Koki USA’s North American headquarters during grand opening festivities held Jan. 15.
Braselton celebrates Hitachi opening By FARAH BOHANNON
fbohannon@clickthepaper.com
The Town of Braselton celebrated with Hitachi on Jan. 15 as the company has recently moved its North American headquarters to a 540,000-square-foot facility located on Highway 124. Hitachi, a Japanese multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, is a highly diversified company operating 11 business segments including Information & Telecommunication Systems, Social Infrastructure, High Functional Materials & Components, Financial Services, Power Systems, Electronic Systems & Equipment, Automotive Systems, Railway & Urban Systems, Digital Media & Consumer Products, Construction Machinery, and Other Components & Systems -- highly diversified and always growing. The celebration’s happenings for Hitachi Power Tools included speeches by
Braselton Mayor Bill Orr as well as Hitachi executives Kiyoshi Kato, Chairman of the Board & Director; Kazuo Sunaga, Consulate-General of Japan in Atlanta; Hiro Yumoto, Chief Executive Officer; and Joe Leffler, Vice President, Sales & Marketing. Kato flew in from Japan to attend the event while the remainder of the speakers already reside in Georgia. Yumoto was up first and, with a grin from ear-to-ear, he scanned the audience and thanked them for their attendance and support. All Hitachi employees were present in the audience as well as Braselton town officials, Hitachi customers, builders and contractors who helped renovate the inside of the building and Braselton Police Chief Terry Esco, meaning there were more than 100 people there. In fact, there were attendees who stood at the back and around the sides of the outdoor pavilion because the seats were full. The weather was cold and drizzly but, with an insulated tent in the building’s parking lot, attendees
stayed warm and dry. “I want to give a warm welcome to everyone here,” said Yumoto. “It is my pleasure to introduce the new Hitachi headquarters in Braselton which is seven times bigger than the old building.” Yumoto joined Hitachi in 1988 and has worked in the United Kingdom and Canada before he was hired as the company’s CEO in 2007. Mayor Bill Orr thanked the Hitachi executives for selecting Braselton as the new North American headquarters. “Braselton truly is a great place to live, work and play,” said Orr. “I believe that you all will figure that out while you are here, and I am happy about that. We are mindful and very grateful of the corporate responsibility around the world that Hitachi represents. Myself and the Braselton town officials share that corporate responsibility with Hitachi. The company has a
See HITACHI, 2A
A distribution facility project found to be in the best interest of the state in 2007 will be moving forward with Monday’s approval by the Jackson County Board of Commissioners to rezone 184.02 acres from agricultural to light industrial. The application by Greg Bentley Prologis of Atlanta to rezone the Radlo Family Trust acreage on Toy Wright Road was recommended for approval by the Jackson County Planning Commission. Prologis the largest provider of logistics and distribution facilities in the Americas, according to its website. Bentley said a 700,000-square-foot building on an adjacent 114-acre parcel is already under way and the Toy Wright Road project with two building would be phase two of Prologis Park I-85. “We hope to continue to invest in Jackson County,” said Bentley. After a public hearing was conducted with no comments, the commission unanimously approved the rezoning request in a motion by District 1 Commissioner Jim Hix which was seconded by Chairman Tom Crow. A condition requires that Toy Wright Road be upgraded to county standards for an industrial roadway from Wayne Poultry Road to Valentine Industrial Parkway to address safety concerns identified in a traffic study. A Jackson County authority is getting a new member and an advisory board is seeing a reappointment. Donna Geiger, an attorney and member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, was appointed to the Jackson County Airport Authority. She was nominated by District 3 Commissioner Ralph Richardson Jr., and the nomination was seconded by Chairman Crow. Richardson also placed the name of
See COMMISSION, 2A
Rotary flag plaza at new hospital now dedicated By LEANNE AKIN
lakin@clickthepaper.com
Just days after Medical Plaza B opened on the Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton campus, a special ceremony was held to dedicate the Braselton Rotary Flag Plaza. Hospital president Anthony Williamson said the flag plaza “is a very special destination at our hospital” which was made possible through the generosity of the Rotary Club of Braselton. “From the time we broke ground and construction began on the hospital, I’ve had the pleasure of speaking at meetings a number
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of times to provide ‘hospital updates’ and answer questions. I was very humbled by your decision to give, but not at all surprised that you were among the very first to make a signature gift,” said Williamson at the Jan. 15 dedication ceremony. “From the beginning, the Rotary Club of Braselton welcomed the hospital with open arms. You have served as great ambassadors who made sure others heard what you heard and became educated about plans for the hospital and the impact of our work on the community.”
See FLAG PLAZA, 3A
Volume 9, Number 13 Obituaries 4A Police report 2A Puzzles 5B Schools 6A Sports 1-2B
Larry Griffeth For The Paper
Mike Raderstorf, director of security and safety services for Northeast Georgia Health System, and Juan Garcia, security coordinator for the hospital campus, prepare to raise the American flag as Braselton Rotary Club President Howard Hardaway stands in the flag plaza, the club’s signature gift to the Northeast Georgia Medical Center Foundation.
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