After two years as Habersham County Commission Vice-Chair, Victor Anderson is now leading the five-member panel. As the newly-elected Chair, Anderson says he’s “humbled and honored” that his fellow commissioners unanimously elected him to the post.
In his new role Anderson will be responsible for calling, advertising, coordinating and conducting all meetings of the Commission. He’ll also serve as the Chief Executive Officer for the County.
Now Habersham asked Anderson to share his views and vision for Habersham County in 2017:
What do you hope to accomplish in your new role?
As Chairman, I plan to increase communication both within the Board and with outside parties. The Chair has no more influence or voting privilege than any other commissioner. I am still only 1 of 5. As Chair, however, I can inform and involve others in order to provide as much pertinent input as possible for the Board to make the best and most prudent decisions on behalf of the Citizens of Habersham County.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing Habersham County this year?
2017 is an historic year for Habersham County as we have several significant issues happening at the same time. The biggest challenge I can see is going to be coordinating and completing all of the projects and requirements in a timely and focused manner. Some of the projects we will begin or continue are: Construction of the new Administration Building, establishing the Budget for the 2017-2018 fiscal year, working with the cities to revise our Service Delivery Strategy, begin work to update the county’s Comprehensive Plan, continue working with the State and Federal transportation departments on roadway and intersection improvements, prepare for the 2018 Bicentennial Celebration, etc. These projects and activities are in addition to the day to day activities required to meet the needs and wants of the Citizens.
How do you plan to address that challenge?
We are fortunate to have both an experienced and active Staff and a Board which is extremely engaged and aware of the tasks at hand. My solution to meet the challenge of completing all these priorities is to coordinate and involve all parties in the process. No one person can accomplish half of the work but with divided responsibility, defined rolls and accountability, we will complete them and end up with a better, more thoughtful result.
What do you view as Habersham County’s greatest strength?
We live in the greatest county in Georgia. Our resources, location and citizens make Habersham County a wonderful place to call home. If I had to identify a single greatest strength it would have to be our location.
What will you do as chair to capitalize on that strength?
With two major transportation arteries (Hwys 365 & 441) intersecting and passing thru Habersham County, we stand poised for tremendous commercial and industrial growth over the next decade. Additionally, our county is large enough to also have some of the most picturesque and inviting farmland and rural areas. Continued and increasing growth is coming to Habersham. As Chairman, I feel it is my duty to communicate the need for thoughtful and planned policies and regulations which not only allow for controlled growth but also project Habersham County as a FRIENDLY community to both homeowners and businesses. Smart, thoughtful Commercial and Industrial growth will allow us to leverage the advantages of our location to better balance our tax base and continue to provide and increase the services our citizens need and want without increasing the burden on property owners.
What do you see as our county’s greatest weakness?
Our greatest weakness is also one of the character traits that makes Habersham attractive. With 7 municipalities and the County providing an array of services both inside and outside of their respective boundaries there is a lot of discussion over who does what, where and how is it paid for. While necessary, this discussion occupies a lot of time and effort.
What will you do as chair to address that weakness?
Through coordinating the Board’s efforts and constant, open communication during the Service Delivery Strategy negotiations, we can alleviate much of this future discussion and reallocate more time and resources to planning for smart growth.
Update on proposed Habersham County Administration Building.
The Board has chosen to locate the new Administration Building on the lot next to the Aquatic Center referred to as the Jacob’s Way property. Some site clearing has begun by county departments and our Architectural/Engineering consultant is developing building layout and location options to be presented at our Winter Workshop in a couple of weeks.
Update on discussions with Northeast Georgia Health System as it relates to Habersham Medical Center.
The Hospital Authority and the Board of Commissioners have been working closely together in seeking a strategic alliance to ensure the growth and viability of the Habersham Medical Center. We are in discussions with several potential partners. Due to the sensitive nature of these discussions, further discussion is premature and in violation of mutually agreed to non-disclosure agreements.
The Habersham County Board of Commissioners meets the third Monday of each month at 6 p.m. on the first floor of the courthouse in Clarkesville. Meetings are posted on Now Habersham’s events calendar and may also be found on the county website.
To follow Anderson online through his public Facebook page, click here. You can reach him by email at [email protected].
