In the first meeting of the new year, the Habersham County Board of Commissioners re-elected its leadership. The vote revealed simmering tensions on the panel as two commissioners voted against the chairman’s choice for vice-chair.
In a unanimous 5-0 vote, county commissioners re-elected District 5 Commissioner Ty Akins to serve as chairman.
Akins, who has served on the commission since December 2021, breezed back into the job he held in 2023. No one else was nominated for the position and there was no discussion among the commissioners prior to the vote.
However, the same can not be said for District 4 Commissioner and Vice-Chair Bruce Harkness.
Akins nominated Harkness to continue for a second year as vice-chairman. Commissioner Dustin Mealor seconded the nomination. The vote was split 3-2, with commissioners Jimmy Tench and Bruce Palmer dissenting.
Neither Tench nor Palmer explained why they voted against Harkness and they did not nominate anyone else for the position.
Harkness thanked Mealor and Akins for their support.
“Thank you, two gentlemen, for your renewed support and consideration as me serving as vice-chairman,” he said.
The newly re-elected vice-chair then addressed Palmer and Tench.
”And the other commissioners that did not vote for me, I want to promise that I will try to work this year to earn your trust and work well with you two gentlemen regardless of your vote tonight.”
Tench and Palmer did not respond to Harkness’ comment.
