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DeKalb PEX committee appoints Dr. Sarah Patnod to land bank and Reverend Dr. James Todd Speed to hospital authority
Summary
The PEX committee approved appointments to two county authorities: Dr. Sarah Patnod to Post Two of the DeKalb Regional Land Bank Authority and Reverend Dr. James Todd Speed to Post One of the DeKalb County Hospital Authority following interviews and unanimous voice votes.
Nicole Messiah, chair of the DeKalb County Planning, Economic Development and Community Services (PEX) committee, opened the meeting and introduced two appointment items.
Dr. Sarah Patnod, who introduced herself as director of policy solutions for Reinvestment Fund, interviewed for Post Two of the DeKalb Regional Land Bank Authority. Patnod said her background is in affordable housing, citing prior work with the Decatur Housing Authority and Tapestry Development Group, and described her role at Reinvestment Fund as producing market-value analyses and data-driven disposition strategies. She told commissioners she sees the land bank’s early “wins” as central to attracting municipal partners and flagged heir’s-property/title issues as a recurring legal barrier to returning properties to productive use.
Rev. Dr. James Todd Speed interviewed for Post One of the DeKalb County Hospital Authority. Speed described prior service on a hospital board and said his focus would be representing local communities and helping the authority address gaps in access and sustain financial stability. Commissioners pressed candidates on specifics — for the land bank, title clearance and disposition strategy; for the hospital authority, communication around funding shortfalls and attention to mental-health and aging-related demand.
Both appointments were later put to voice votes and carried. The committee approved the appointment of Dr. Patnod to the land bank and Reverend Dr. Speed to the hospital authority.
Why it matters: The land bank appointment brings a regional CDFI policy practitioner onto a local tool for addressing vacant or tax-delinquent properties. The hospital-authority appointment adds a community voice to oversight of a health system facing broader fiscal pressures discussed by members.
What’s next: Both appointees will join their respective authorities and participate in upcoming board and program work. The committee did not attach conditions to the approvals.
