If his first meeting is any indication, newly elected Coweta County Commission chairman Vernon “Mutt” Hunter's term will be succinct and to the point.

Calling him the “chairman for the millennium,” the other commissioners elected Hunter to serve as chairman for this year's board.

After he took over the chairman's gavel, Hunter raced through the meeting with speed and even interjected a little humor.

When presented with a hefty stack of Georgia Department of Transportation documents to sign, Hunter asked if the staff had not already created a stamp with his signature to cut down on the paperwork.

The often feisty chairman didn't wait long to choose his first subject of discontent, the state Department of Community Affairs.

Late last month, the county received notice from the department that its strategy for complying with House Bill 489 had been approved. The bill calls for local governments to work closer together to try prevent duplication of services.

County administrator Theron Gay said the county would have received notice sooner, but is still in a dispute with the agency over the existence of the town of Corinth.

Corinth is no longer a viable town, but the department remained adamant for a long time that representatives from the town must sign off on the document before it could be approved.

Hunter encouraged everybody to contact their local legislators to make it clear to the department that Corinth doesn't exist.

In other news, the board:

Elected Commissioner Charlie Jones as vice-chairman

Appointed Roxie Clark as county clerk.

Maintained the same meeting schedule this year as last year. Meetings are set for the first Tuesday at 9 a.m., the second Tuesday at 2 p.m. and the third Tuesday at 7 p.m.

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