Board of Commissioners

Stephens County was created by an act of the legislature in 1905 as political subdivision of the State of Georgia. It exists for civil and political purposes, and acts under powers given to it by the state. The county operates under the Commission-Administrator form of local government with the Stephens County Board of Commissioners as the governing authority.


 Commisioners from left, Stanley London, J.B. Hudgins, Dean Scarborough, Harold Andrews, Jonesy Haygood
The five members of the Board of Commissioners are elected at-large to four-year terms on a staggered basis. The Chairman of the Board of Commissioners is elected annually by the commissioners. Each

Commissioner is given a specific work assignment, and asked to serve as a liaison for the Board in the area assigned.

The Board appoints a county administrator who serves as the chief administrative officer to carry out the policies and handle day-to-day responsibilities.                                                        

The Commissioners set direction and formulate policies for the county government, develop and approve the budget, authorize expenditures, set tax rates, make key appointments to boards, committees, authorities, etc. and approve or disapprove specific actions, such as rezoning of private property.

The board's strives to:
 

  • Provide the highest quality service possible to county residents in a fiscally responsible, timely, efficient and courteous manner
  • Conduct business in an open and professional manner without favoritism
  • Manage, spend and account for tax dollars in a responsible manner
  • Respond to the needs and concerns of the residents of the county
     

The Board meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. and the fourth Tuesday of each month at 9:30 a.m. in a public forum to discuss, receive input on and vote on current "open" issues. Work sessions to discuss items on the agenda are at 5 p.m. on the first Tuesday and 8:30 a.m. on the second Tuesday. scheduled and advertised as needed. The board also conducts public hearings to consider zoning requests.

The County's administrative staff and day-to-day operations are managed by County Administrator John Rutan who works closely with the Board of Commissioners to ensure that effective communication is maintained between the Board and the county's employees.

 

County Commissioners & Administrator
Harold Andrews
 Commissioner, District 1

Born in Stephens County and a retired captain of the USAF Reserves, Andrews along with his father and brother partnered at the Big A Supermarket.  His recent experience is as a logistics consultant.  Andrews earned his degree in finance from the University of Georgia and attended graduate school at Clemson University.  This is his second term on the Stephens County Commision.		 Click to Email
J.B. Hudgins
 Commissioner, District 2 Vice Chairman

A native of Stephens County and a Toccoa High School graduate, Hudgins is a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology.  He owned and operated a retail furniture store for 49 years and is retired.  This is the first term on the Stephens County Board of Commissioners, bet he has eight years of experience in government.  Commissioner Hudgins has completed his Commissioner Certification.		 Email
Jonesy Haygood
 Commissioner, District 3

A native of Stephens County and a graduate of Toccoa High School, Haygood earned a B.S. from the University of Georgia.  He has certification from both the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia and the National Association of County Commissioners.  This is his second four-year term on the Stephens County Board of Commissioners.  Commissioner Haygood has completed his Advanced Commissioner Certification.		 Email
Stanley London

Commissioner, District 4

A martin resident, London is a high school graduate and operates a private business as a cabinet maker.  This is his first term on the Stephens County Board of Commissioners and he has completed his Commissioner Certification.

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Dean Scarborough

Commissioner, District 5, Chairman

A resident of Stephens County since 1982, he and his wife Dee, have one son, Chris.  Dean is an Oglethorpe County High School graduate and received a B.A. from the University of Georgia.  He was the owner and operator of Scarborough's Men's Stores for 25 years and currently works part-time in real estate sales.  This is his first term on the Stephens County Board of Commisssioners and he has completed his County Commissioners Certification.

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John Rutan

County Administrator

Mr. Rutan has been with Stephens County for two years and supervises all departments, personnel, and general operations.  He is a county administrator with a strong background in civil engineering with over 16-yrs experience in the government sector and equal time in the private sector. He has a B.S. in Fine Art from Georgia State, a B.S. in engineering from Southern Polytechnic and is currently pursuing a certificate in Geographic Information Systems from Gainesville State College.

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