The Habersham County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 to appoint Bruce Palmer as commission chairman and reappoint Bruce Harkness as vice-chairman during their Tuesday night special called meeting.
“I would like to thank the citizens and the commission for their confidence in me as the commission chairman for the next year,” Palmer said. “I will strive to do the best job I possibly can.”
RELATED: Harkness named Habersham Commission vice-chair
Harkness’s reappointment comes only a day after his son, Jerry Harkness, was sworn in as the new mayor of Demorest.
“I promise the same, I’ll work hard for the citizens whether people agree with me or disagree with me,” Harkness said. “At the end of the day, I’m going to try to work hard for the taxpayers of this county and the citizens of this county, and I hope I don’t come across as being a gruff old man, but . . . I’m just trying to do what I believe is going to help our citizens, our children, our grandchildren, bring jobs to our county [and] keep taxes low.”
Councilman Jimmy Tench cast the only opposing votes to both Palmer’s and Harkness’s appointments. Tench has cast dissenting votes for every appointment to the chair or vice-chair position since January 2021.
Palmer will hold his first commission meeting as chairman on Jan. 20 at 6:00 p.m. at the Habersham County Courthouse.
