DeKalb County’s newest commissioner, Nancy Jester, took office Monday after winning a runoff election last week.
Jester, a Republican former DeKalb school board member, replaced ex-Commissioner Elaine Boyer and will represent the northern part of the county. Boyer resigned in August and pleaded guilty to federal charges that she bilked taxpayers out of $93,000.
Jester said she will bring transparency to government finances and make herself accessible to residents.
“We have bloated government and poor services in DeKalb right now,” she said. “We have got to get leaner and provide better service.”
Jester takes office at a time when the board has failed to reach consensus on several topics, including the confirmation of George Turner as a temporary commissioner for southeast DeKalb. She said she hasn’t decided if she’ll break the stalemate over Turner at Tuesday’s commission meeting.
“I know that’s a significant concern, as it should be,” Jester said. “It’s representation for 140,000 citizens. I understand the gravity of that, but I have not made up my mind.”
Interim DeKalb CEO Lee May appointed Turner four months ago, but the short-staffed board has lacked four votes needed to either confirm or deny him.
After Jester was sworn in by Probate Court Judge Jeryl Rosh, she became the sixth commissioner on the seven-seat board.
May said Jester should be prepared for the difficulties of the job.
“Today you’ll get sworn in, and tomorrow you’ll get sworn at,” May said during the ceremony.
Jester is already working to create a website that will show real-time information about her office’s spending. She said she hopes to have the website ready in about a month, but it could take longer.
Jester represents more than 140,000 residents living in the cities of Brookhaven, Chamblee, Doraville, Dunwoody and surrounding areas.
She won overwhelmingly in the Dec. 2 runoff against independent Holmes Pyles.
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