By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@thecitizennews.com

In less than two weeks, the Fayette County Development Authority's new executive director expects to hit the ground running.

Chris Clark, 30, was hired by the authority's board after a year-long search. Clark's most recent job was as the president and CEO of the Hawkinsville-Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce.

“I'm very excited. I really love that part of Atlanta,” Clark said in an interview earlier this week.

Clark served three years at the chamber position. During his tenure, the county's work force grew by 700 jobs and lowered unemployment by 2 percent.

During his first few weeks, Clark wants to meet as many of the local folks, including elected officials, as he can to get a feel for the pulse of the community. Later in may, he plans a strategic planning session with the development authority to formulate a plan to deal with the county's inevitable growth.

“I'm for smart and controlled growth. With the position of being the number one county in the state, there's no reason for us to choose smoke stacks,” he said.

His first priorities will be helping existing businesses and also looking to help new upstart businesses, such as high tech firms that may need a boost, Clark said.

Once those two issues are addressed, Clark plans to focus on the need for more industries in the county and what type they should be.

That issue has been a matter of contention between the Development Authority and the County Commission in recent years. Commission Chairman Harold Bost last year called on the Development Authority to cut back on its efforts to recruit new industry, saying Fayette doesn't need new jobs because its unemployment rate is so low. Some new industries add to Fayette's residential growth problems, Bost said, by importing workers from other areas.

Clark said he hopes to work closely with county leaders to make sure industrial growth is what the county needs.

“We need to look at how we can lower property taxes and still maintain the quality of life that's already there. I want to work with the county commissioners on this issue,” he said.

Clark is a Fitzgerald, Ga. native and has a bachelor of science degree from Georgia Southern University and a master's degree from Georgia College in Milledgeville.