Ben Hill County Commissioner Scott Downing has submitted his resignation to the Board of Commissioners and plans to run for the Georgia House of Representatives seat vacated by Jay Roberts (R-Ocilla). The Ben Hill County Board of Commissioners accepted his resignation at Tuesday's Special Called Meeting; thanking him for his loyal service to the Citizens of Ben Hill County; and calling for a Special Election on June 16th to fill his unexpired term.
Scott Downing was elected to represent the Western District of Ben Hill County in November 2009 and took office the following January. He was re-elected to a second 4-year term, which began on January 1, 2015. In addition to his Commission duties, he represented Ben Hill County on many Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) policy and special committees; helping take the concerns of Rural Georgia to the Georgia Legislature. During the 2015 ACCG Annual Convention in April, Scott was appointed as Chairman of the ACCG's Economic Development and Transportation Committee.
"I enjoyed serving with Scott; both on the local and state levels," said Ben Hill County Vice-Chairman O. D. Netter, Jr.; who is also a Past Chairman of the ACCG, and a Board Member of the National Association of Counties. "I think he will do a fine job as a State Representative." Scott also volunteered to serve as the Interim Executive Director of the Fitzgerald-Ben Hill Development Authority and the Ben Hill-Irwin County Development Authority. Working without pay for over two years, he helped keep the community competitive and create jobs during the dark days of the recession.
"Scott Downing is a true friend to whom I am deeply indebted for his reluctant compliance with my request for him to seek the seat I vacated to run for the commission chairmanship," said Ben Hill County Commission Chairman Philip C. Jay, III. "Over the next 6 years, his generous contribution of talent, time and tenacity to the resolution of the myriad of issues facing the community we share earned him the respect of not only his fellow commissioners but others throughout Georgia. His absence on the commission creates a vacancy that will challenge the will of the people to adequately fill, but his anticipated presence on the state stage is a gift to the legislature of which we can all be proud."
Questions: Frank E. Feild, County Manager, 229-426-5100
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