Toccoa Manager Jackson named Sole Finalist for Permanent Job

Following an 8:30 a.m. called meeting yesterday (Dec.7), Toccoa city commissioners named current interim city manager Mike Jackson as the sole candidate for the permanent position. "The city commission has determined that Michael Jackson is the best qualified person for the position of city manager," mayor Janice English said following the meeting. "Michael Jackson is the only person under serious consideration," she added. English said the commission had reviewed applications from a number of candidates, but felt Jackson was best qualified for the position. Jackson was hired in August following the commission's 3-2 vote to fire then-city manager Michael Uskiewicz. "The city commission does hereby give notice that final action on this appointment will take place at a meeting to be held on the 22nd day of December at 3:30 p.m.," English said, adding that all documents the city has regarding Jackson are available for public inspection. "One of the main reasons I really wanted to stay, instead of remain as an interim and have a definite stop point, is that I'm convinced Toccoa has absolutely unlimited potential, and I want to be a part of it," Jackson said. "I look forward to the challenge," he added. "I think that we can help return Toccoa to where it was 20 years ago... a city to whom others looked for guidance; a city everyone wanted to be like." Jackson said a continuing emphasis on bare steel replacement, expansion of the gas system, and continuing to provide the best water service were priorities, and added that changes in the budgeting process were also among his goals. "We want to move our budget and budgeting process forward in a way that is more transparent and easy to understand for people that are casual readers of our budget," he said. "While it's a plate full, it's going to be fun," he said of the coming challenges. "It is just a matter of getting all the players on the same side of the wagon, pulling together in the same direction," he said.