IN BRIEF: After a three month search, the Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the appointment of Darryl Bowie as county human resources department director and Frank Wilson as the fire and rescue department chief.

Both are scheduled to start in their positions on August 15.

 Bowie said, upon being appointed, "I’m very honored to have been selected and given the opportunity to serve the citizens of Rockdale County. My wife and my children and I look forward to moving to Rockdale county and being a part of this community."

After the meeting, Bowie said he got to know the area when his parents formerly lived here. "I thought it was a lovely place. Close to the city, but suburban; wife likes the area. And the job is where I wanted to be." He said his goals for the job would be set after meeting with Chairman Richard Oden and the department heads.

Wilson read a prepared statement after his appointment and started off by thanking God, his wife and sons, the board and panel that interviewed him, and greeting Rockdale County residents and businesses.

"Change is a unique creature that possesses and displays many different costumes. Change can empower and affirm an organization. But in the absence of cooperation, change has the ability to make its presence uncomfortable, overwhelming, and sometimes painful. I respectfully and humbly seek from the citizens of Rockdale County your support and patience," said Wilson.

"I will work conscientiously to set the example because I have confidence in knowing that people want and need their leaders to be role models," he said.

"I desire to set high but attainable standards for our fire department and more importantly I’m willing to jump in the trenches and work besides them to accomplish these tasks at hand.

"Please do not be quick to pass judgment," he asked. "I have significant listening to accomplish. I ask for your meaningful problems and concerns based on reliable information and supportive documentation. I will openly listen to suggestions that can affect improvement, create progress, and become the foundational blueprint of our strategic plan."

Wilson, who was joined by his teenage sons, said his wife would have joined him but was taking care of the details of moving in Idaho.

In other BOC business:

The Board of Commissioners approved in a 2-1 vote, with Commissioner JaNice Van Ness voting against, a job description for a web content and design analyst which was budgeted for $20,000 for the year and is currently unfilled.

Van Ness intially made a motion to defer the job position description in light of budget concerns, but the motion died for lack of a second.