DeKalb County Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously voted to name Commissioner Steve Bradshaw as their Presiding Officer for the next two years. Commissioners voted 7-0-0 in favor of Bradshaw, whose nomination by Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson was seconded by Commissioner Larry Johnson.
Commissioner Jeff Rader, who has been the Presiding Officer for the last two years, said he was looking forward to voting for Bradshaw. "He has served as deputy for the past two years. I believe he will serve admirably in the role of presiding officer," Rader said.
Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson was elected Deputy Presiding Officer of the BOC by a 6-0-1 vote. Cochran-Johnson was nominated by Mereda Davis Johnson. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Nancy Jester.
Commissioner Larry Johnson, who was the Presiding Officer from 2009 through 2013 and again from 2014 through January 2017, abstained from voting for Cochran-Johnson on Tuesday but offered no explanation as to why. He also did not vote when Rader was elected as presiding officer in 2018.
"She came in running and I appreciate her service and I'm sure that her and commissioner Bradshaw will continue to lead this board," Commissioner Davis Johnson said of Cochran-Johnson.
"She certainly has taken this office seriously and with a great deal of preparation," Rader added.
Commissioners have agreed to rotate the office of Presiding Officer between them every two years. As well as chairing commission meetings, the presiding officer appoints members and chairs of BOC committees.
Presiding Officer Bradshaw made these changes to committee assignments:
- Nancy Jester moves from County Operations to Employee Relations & Public Safety
- Lorraine Cochran-Johnson is removed from Employee Relations & Public Safety and becomes Chair of Public Works & Infrastructure
- Jeff Rader becomes a member of the County Operations and Finance, Audit & Budget committees
- Kathie Gannon is removed from the Finance, Audit & Budget committee
No changes were made to the committee assignments of Larry Johnson or Mereda Davis Johnson.
Here are Bradshaw's new committee assignments:
Planning, Economic Development and Community Services (PECS)
Chair: Gannon; members: Bradshaw, Cochran-Johnson
(no change)
Employee Relations & Public Safety (ERPS)
Chair: M. Davis Johnson; members: Jester, Rader
(Jester replaces Cochran-Johnson as member)
Public Works & Infrastructure (PWI)
Chair: Cochran-Johnson; members: Gannon, Jester
(Cochran-Johnson replaces Bradshaw as Chair)
County Operations (OPS)
Chair: L. Johnson; members: M. Davis Johnson, Rader
(Rader replaces Jester as member)
Finance, Audit & Budget (FAB)
Chair: Jester; members: Rader, L. Johnson
(Rader replaces Gannon as member)
