Despite being voted out of the running, Green Hill P3 or its members will continue to pursue a contract with Newton County to lease and operate the county landfill, and settle a lawsuit with the East Georgia Land & Development Company.

“We’re continuing to work on this project in Newton County,” said Tee Stribling, lead project manager for Green Hill.

Stribling said Green Hill has negotiated with the county transparently and in good faith, hitting back at critics who accused the company of divisive tactics during a special called meeting on July 1 when the Board of Commissioners voted to “eliminate from consideration” Green Hill.

Stribling would not say whether the same parties would file another proposal under a different name, saying those involved are “still trying to figure out the next move.”

He also sought to clarify the relationship between East Georgia and Green Hill. Green Hill is a limited liability limited partnership whose sole general partner, according to the Secretary of State Corporations Division, is National Management Company Inc. The CEO of National Management is James Baker, who is also the CEO of East Georgia, which is threatening to sue the county and pursue a private landfill if the county does not agree to a contract with Green Hill.

If the deal is sealed, RLS Investment and Consulting would be added as a second general partner, Stribling said. In literature distributed to the public and to the BOC, Green Hill has represented RLS as its backer, with no mention of National Management.

Stribling said National Management allows East Georgia to “control” Green Hill “on an interim basis” until an agreement is signed, but emphasized, “there is no question about the fact that East Georgia and Green Hill are two entirely separate entities.”

He also said both the BOC and the county attorney were aware of the “general structure” of Green Hill and that members of East Georgia were also members of Green Hill. 

“The commissioners set in motion a process that led to Green Hill being formed,” Stribling said.

Commissioners Nancy Schulz and J.C. Henderson said they were unaware of National Management Company’s partnership in Green Hill, or any other direct connection between Baker, East Georgia, and Green Hill.

County Attorney Tommy Craig told The News Tuesday he was unaware of National Management and Baker's role in Green Hill, saying that it had been represented to him that RLS was the principle in the company.

“It’s news to me,” he said, adding that he was “not familiar with the internal structure” of Green Hill.

Commissioners Lanier Sims, Levie Maddox, and John Douglas could not be reached for comment.

When asked if he would consider another proposal from Green Hill or another company with the same membership, Henderson said the bidding should be open to “anybody and everybody.”