Habersham County Economic Development Director J. R. Charles is in talks for a similar job in Oconee County, Georgia.
“It is an honor to be considered for the position of Economic Development Director in Oconee County.” Charles tells Now Habersham. While he is, at this point, just a “candidate” for the job – Oconee leaders say he is their only candidate.
The County Commission there has been looking for someone to take over since last year when former Oconee Director Rusty Haygood took a job with the state of Georgia.
Charles was hired here in 2012 to head up the Habersham County Economic Development Authority. He worked to pass the most recent Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) which included $2.7 million “to create pad-ready sites in the Airport Industrial Park, and to expand and enhance the Habersham County Airport.”
Most recently, Charles has overseen the Habersham Authority’s financial collapse. The exit of Miller Logistics from the industrial park and the payments on their million dollar building loan have drained resources to the point that the Habersham County Government is set to assume the debt and take over control of Authority assets.
Oconee County Commissioners are expected to vote on hiring him in the coming weeks. “I look forward to their decision on June 2nd.” Charles says.
