WILL BECKETT RETURN AS INTERIM COUNTY MANAGER?

FORMER CITY OF THOMASTON INTERIM CITY MANAGER BILLY BECKETT MET WITH THE UPSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS TUESDAY AND PRESENTED THE BOARD WITH A CONCEPT PLAN FOR A COUNTY MANAGER SEARCH FOR UPSON COUNTY---COUNTY MANAGER JIM WHEELESS RESIGNED RECENTLY OVER HEALTH ISSUES.

BUT THOSE DISCUSSIONS WENT FURTHER AND BECKETT WAS ASKED BY COMMISSIONER FRANK SPRAGGINS IF HE WOULD CONSIDER AN OFFER TO BE INTERM COUNTY MANAGER—AND BECKETT SAID HE WOULD.

AFTER HE DEPARTED--THE COMMISSIONERS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO ALLOW CHAIRMAN NORMAN ALLEN TO NEGOTIATE TERMS WITH BECKETT TO SEE IF SOMETHING COULD WORK OUT.

BECKETT WHO HAS OVER 35 YEARS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE IN CITIES AND COUNTIES AROUND GEORGIA—WAS INTERIM CITY MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF THOMASTON FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS STARTING IN EARLY 2016—WORKING ABOUT 20 HOURS A WEEK.

HE TOLD THE UPSON COMMISSIONERS HE IS RETIRED AND WILL NOT WORK FRIDAYS AND HE'S GOING TO JAPAN FOR TWO WEEKS IN APRIL TO CONDUCT A COACHES CLINIC FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL OFFICIALS AS PER HIS ASSOCIATION WITH THE ACC AS A CAREER OFFICIAL.

THE COMMISSIONERS EXPRESSED SOME DOUBTS THEY COULD DEVOTE THE TIME NEEDED TO DO ALL THE LEGWORK IF TAKES TO SECURE APPLICATIONS FOR THE COUNTY MANAGER POST. BECKETT WAS A BIG HELP TO THE THOMASTON CITY COUNCIL IN ITS SEARCH FOR A CITY MANAGER—RUSSELL THOMPSON.