Commissioner James E. Allen III to resign after accepting White House appointment to HUD

At the close of the Aug. 5 meeting, Columbia County Commissioner James E. Allen III announced he had accepted a White House appointment as senior adviser to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and that he plans to submit his resignation to Governor Kemp, creating a vacancy for the District 2 commission seat. Allen said he accepted the role to serve at the national level and that he will continue to maintain residency in Columbia County. Allen said he contacted county counsel to plan for a transition and hopes to save the county the cost of a special election by timing the replacement selection to coincide with the Public Service Commission vote in November. After Allen’s announcement, another commissioner moved that upon the governor’s acceptance of Allen’s resignation the board of elections issue the call for the election to fill the resulting vacancy and that Vice Chair Couch be assigned to the MIS and DES committees to replace the retiring commissioner. That motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. Allen told colleagues he has filled the seat on and off for more than 15 years and said serving on the commission has been one of the greatest honors of his life. No effective resignation date was provided beyond the plan to submit the resignation to the governor.