Heard County adopts revised board appointment policy, adds background-check consent

The Heard County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted a revised Board Appointment Policy at its Feb. 20 meeting.

County Attorney Michael Hill reviewed the changes the board requested, saying the draft could be adopted with the approved edits. The revisions the board approved state that the board, by majority vote and a finding of just cause, may waive or vary the process outlined in the policy; define "served a term" as having served half of a complete term plus one day; express a preference that citizens not serve simultaneously on two district boards and require resignation from a non-expiring commission before reappointment; and add a consent form for criminal background checks to the application for appointment to boards, authorities, or commissions.

Commissioner James Perry moved to adopt the policy with the recorded changes and Commissioner Larry Hammond seconded. The board voted unanimously to adopt the policy.

The policy change formalizes how the board will treat overlapping service, reappointments and background checks for applicants to county boards and authorities. The board did not specify implementation timing beyond adoption at the meeting; the adopted motion did not attach an immediate effective date in the record.