The changes at the Fayette County Development Authority were evident April 17 as several board members recently appointed by the Fayette County Commission attended their first meeting. For FCDA CEO Matt Forshee, it was his final meeting before moving to Augusta to begin his new job with Georgia Power.
For Chairman Randy Hayes, it was his last meeting. Hayes resigned at the same time the terms of four FCDA members were expiring. Hayes opened the meeting, wished the old and new members and FCDA staff well in their coming endeavors, then left the meeting.
The relatively brief agenda was intended to include the nomination and election of a new chairman. After a discussion it was decided that new and current members should spend time together to get to know each other at a mini-retreat before electing a chairman.
Of note at the meeting was the appointment of FCDA Business Retention and Expansion Manager Emily Poole as interim CEO effective May 1 until a replacement for Forshee is found. Forshee will be leaving at the end of April to work with Georgia Power’s economic development team in Augusta.
The authority will post a job description and other relevant information on various economic development websites and will review the responses in May, Forshee said.
New members appointed by the county commission who were present at the meeting included Maggie Laton, Todd Strickland, Pat Hinchey and Dennis Dorsey.
Fayetteville FCDA board member and City Manager Joe Morton did not attend the meeting. Later in the day Morton at the City Council meeting requested that his seat on the Fayette County Development Authority be given to Mayor Greg Clifton.
Clifton attended the FCDA meeting as did County Commission Chairman Steve Brown.
Morton in an April 10 letter said, “With the changes occurring in the makeup of the FCDA board I think this would also be a good opportunity for someone else to serve as the city’s representative.”
Morton has served two four-year terms prior to being unanimously re-appointed by the council in March.
