Austell Mayor Ollie Clemons and the City Council held their first meeting on Jan. 6 with not only a new mayor but two new council members.
They are Councilwoman Melanie Elder and Councilman Devon Myrick.
Their inauguration ceremony was held on Jan. 2 at the Austell Threadmill Complex.
Elder chairs the General Administration Committee, and Myrick chairs the Parks Department.
Other chairpersons are Mayor Pro Tem and Councilwoman Valerie Anderson for Finance and Community Affairs, Councilman Randy Green for Police, Councilman Marlin Lamar for Fire and Councilwoman Sandra Leverette for Public Works.
For this year, Clemons reappointed Anderson as the mayor pro tem after he - as mayor pro tem - was inaugurated to take the place of retired Austell Mayor Joe Jerkins in July.
Choosing Clemons as the mayor pro tem in December 2014, Jerkins served the city for 30 years continuously as mayor and city manager.
Jerkins told the AJC it was cheaper for the city for him to serve as both mayor and city manager.
Of around 750 meetings, Jerkins had missed only two meetings - one pre-agenda meeting and one City Council meeting around Thanksgiving 1998 when he broke his back, Jerkins had told the AJC.
Jerkins had not been attending Austell City Council meetings since August 2018 due to health issues.
Information: AustellGa.gov
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