Last week the five member panel was determined by Governor Deal to set how the city of Brookhaven would be created, and the members of this panel will begin work this week. They will be responsible for finding qualified candidates for the needed positions in thenew city, such as city manager, city attorney, city clerk, and finance director. This panel will also help determine, along with citizen taskforces, city services, like whether or not to take advantages of public-private partnerships, or primarily use government programs. The panel of members is as follows:
-Benjamin Vinson, chairman. Vinson is an attorney at McKenna Long & Aldridge, having previously served as majority caucus counsel in the state House of Representatives.
-J.D. Clockadale, District 1 representative. Clockadale is the marketing director for RaceTrac gas stations who also chairs a private security patrol of off-duty DeKalb police officers in Brookhaven.
-Todd Lantier, District 2 representative. Lantier is a sales manager for MassMutual Financial Group/Capstone Financial Partners who also serves as president of the civic group Brookhaven Community Connection. He is also an advisory board member of Friends of Brookhaven Park.
-Jed Beardsley, District 3 representative. Beardsley is a real estate and tax attorney and shareholder in the law firm Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC. He is president of the Board of Historic Brookhaven Neighborhood Association and is on the group’s board of directors.
-Kim Gökçe, District 4 representative. Gökçe is a technical project manager for AT&T and a founding director for both the Brookhaven Community Connection and the Cross Keys Foundation, which supports public education.