Habersham County’s Commission is considering three candidates who could be selected as the successor of former county manager Alicia Vaughn, who stepped down in December, although there doesn’t appear to be a consensus among them so far.
Those candidates are: Interim County Manager and Chief Financial Officer Tim Sims, Demorest City Manager Mark Musslewhite and former Mt. Airy town manager Tim Jerrell.
While commissioners so far haven’t disclosed which candidate they favor, a decision will likely be made in the coming weeks.
Since the initial announcement at a regular meeting Tuesday, March 25, Habersham County Commission Chair Jimmy Tench has been absent from discussions due to health issues, creating potential for a split vote.
Habersham County Commission Vice Chairman Bruce Harkness said he’s not yet decided which candidate he could vote for, though he did say there isn’t a consensus among commissioners yet.
“We may have to reconvene and rethink things,” Harkness said. “The commissioners just need to meet and talk further – because, now, there’s only four of us and we have to have three out of four to make a decision.”
Commissioner Ty Akins said he’s optimistic about the process so far.
“The remaining candidates are all really good folks – probably any of them are capable of doing the job,” Akins said. “I think we’re in a good spot. The board wants to take it slow and we don’t want to do anything until Commissioner Tench is back.”
The candidates
Each of the three candidates under consideration have experience in government. Since the announcement of the three finalists on Wednesday, March 26, commissioners must wait at least 14 days before a vote is taken.
Jerrell is the only candidate who lives in Habersham County, as both Sims and Musslewhite live in Gainesville.
Anyone wanting to review that information may contact the county clerk’s office at (706) 839-0215 or by email at [email protected].
Sims
Sims, who was selected to succeed Vaughn on an interim basis in December, has been Habersham County’s chief financial officer since 2020. Before that, Sims worked with Hall County’s government for 22 years. During that time, Sims first worked as an accounting manager, then as a budget officer, and then as a financial administrator until he was later promoted to purchasing manager.
Sims holds a bachelor’s in business administration from North Georgia College and State University in Dahlonega and a B.B.A. in business administration from Gainesville College.
Sims is also a Certified Financial Officer from UGA’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, a Graduate Public Finance Leadership Academy from the Carl Vinson Institute, and a state and national member of the Government Financial Officers Association.
Musslewhite
With over 30 years of leadership experience in public service, leadership development and financial management, Musslewhite was brought on as interim city manager of Demorest in 2021 before being approved as city manager in April of 2022.
From 2018-2021, Musslewhite worked as a lot acquisition manager for Cumming-based Adams Homes. And from 1998-2018, he owned a real estate business.
Musslewhite also served on the Gainesville City Council from 2000 to 2006.
Last year, Musselwhite received the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute Certificate of Excellence during the Georgia Municipal Association’s (GMA) Annual Cities United Summit in Atlanta in early 2024.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Louisiana Tech University.
Jarrell
Jarrell was the town manager and police chief of Mt. Airy before his departure in 2022. He left to join the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office as a criminal investigator/sergeant, a title he continues to hold currently. Before that, he was the police chief of Toccoa until he left for Mt. Airy in 2018.
In 2021, Jarrell earned a master’s in public administration from Columbia Southern University. He also has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Grantham University.
He has a list of certifications from the Georgia Academy for Economic Development, Planning and Zoning from the UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government, Core Leadership from the Carl Vinson Institute of Government and Funding and Grants for Government.
