Heard County approves letter backing Coweta Judicial Circuit requests; seeks applicants after Water Authority resignation

Chairman Lee Boone said he received a call from Chief Superior Court Circuit Judge John Simpson asking for support for pending legislation to add an eighth Superior Court judge and to provide a state-paid assistant district attorney and staff for the Coweta Judicial Circuit. Boone read a template letter to local representatives that had been placed on Heard County letterhead; Commissioner Larry Hammond moved to approve the letter and Commissioner David Walls seconded. The board voted unanimously to approve the letter and allowed space for each commissioner to sign.

The letter, presented at Boone’s request, was described in the minutes as a template from Judge Simpson addressed to the county’s state representatives. The text was transferred to Heard County letterhead and put before the Board for formal approval. The minutes do not quote the letter verbatim beyond noting Boone read it into the record.

On a separate matter, Chairman Boone said Water Authority member Alvin Ginn had submitted a resignation. Commissioner James Perry recommended advertising in the newspaper and on the county website to solicit letters of interest and resumes from qualified citizens interested in the vacancy. Commissioner Larry Hammond said he would like to see term limits and clearer guidelines for appointments to boards. County Attorney Michael Hill was directed to draft an appointment policy for the Board to review; Chairman Boone said he would place an ad in the paper and post the notice online.

No appointment to the Water Authority was made at the Jan. 17 meeting. The board’s actions were procedural direction to solicit applicants and to produce a short policy to guide future appointments. The minutes list no timetable or selection criteria beyond the instruction to advertise and to produce draft guidelines for review.