Royston Citizen Writes to State Officials Asking for Restructure of IBA

A Royston citizen has written a letter to Pat Wilson with the Georgia Department of Economic Development asking the Department to restructure the Franklin County Industrial Building Authority.

In 2020, Pilgrim’s was directed to Franklin County as a possible site for their rendering plant by the GDoED and who then directed them to contact the Franklin County IBA.

And the fact that the IBA would consider courting a rendering plant has drawn sharp criticism from citizens and led to questions regarding who is on the IBA Board and their qualifications to be on that board.

In the letter sent to Pat Wilson with the Georgia Department of Economic Development by Alan Martin, Martin says Franklin County has some  “serious issues” regarding how Board members are chosen.

Established in 1962 through a State Resolution, the Franklin County IBA Board is made up of the five mayors in Franklin County plus two members appointed by the Board of Commissioners.

Martin said in his letter that based on the 2020 Census, the County has grown and the conservative estimate of the current population density of Franklin County shows that 65% of the population lives in the county while 35% live in the five towns.

Martin asserted that the five mayors are not adequately representing the majority of the Franklin County population even though that population continues to pay most of the property taxes.

Additionally, Martin said that the town mayors, with  “no pay for being on the IBA Board and having an elected job as mayor, have a built-in conflict of interest that should be eliminated.”

Martin pointed to neighboring Stephens County where the Stephens County Development Authority is made up of county business owners and business executives, which Martin said is what citizens in Franklin County want.

He said the current structure of the IBA is a hindrance to the County’s future growth.

A copy of the letter was sent to County Commission Chair Jason Macomson.

The full letter can be read here: letter to pat wilson

WLHR News will continue to follow this story and bring you updates as they become available.