Cusseta–Chattahoochee commission reappoints leadership, honors former commissioner and approves routine business

The Commission of the Unified Government of Cusseta–Chattahoochee County elected Charles Coffey chairman and approved routine administrative business during its Jan. 7 regular meeting.

After an initial, unsuccessful motion to appoint Timothy Biddle as chairman, Commissioner Gerald Douglas moved to appoint Charles Coffey; Commissioner Jason Frost seconded the motion. Commissioner Damon Hoyte voted against the appointment and the motion passed. Commissioners then unanimously approved Timothy Biddle as vice chairman on a separate motion by Commissioner Frost, seconded by Commissioner Douglas. The board also approved multiple sets of minutes from Dec. 3 and Dec. 23, 2024, by unanimous votes.

The commission adopted a proclamation honoring James Edward “Jimmy” Lawrence, noting his service to the county as an assessor (2006–2008) and as a county commissioner (2009–2019). The proclamation memorializes Lawrence’s contributions and records his date of death as Dec. 5, 2024.

Also on the consent portion of the agenda, the board appointed Linda Englebert to the Cusseta–Chattahoochee County Library Board for a term through Dec. 31, 2027. All of those administrative actions were approved by unanimous votes unless otherwise noted in the minutes.

The meeting record shows the board recessed to executive session later in the morning to discuss legal matters and reconvened; Chairman Coffey stated that "the subjects discussed during the closed meetings were within the legal exceptions to the open meetings law and that no votes were cast within the session."

The regular meeting was adjourned at 10:24 a.m.; the minutes were subsequently approved on Feb. 4, 2025.