SC Recreation Director Chris Rainey Named 2023 Employee of the Year

Stephens County Recreation Director Chris Rainey was named as Stephens County’s 2023 Employee of the Year.

Stephens County Administrator Christian Hamilton announced the award. 

The 2022 Employee of the Year was Buildings and Grounds Supervisor Mitty Higginbotham.

Also at Tuesday’s Stephens County Board of Commissioners meeting, 2024 appointments of board members to local and regional boards and committees were approved 

Commissioner and 2024 board Chair Tara Simmons will serve on the Airport Authority, the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission, the Stephens County Development Authority and the Toccoa/Stephens County Humane Shelter Board of Directors.

Commissioner and 2024 board Vice Chair Chris Rickman will serve on the Buildings & Ground Committee, Emergency Services Board, Joint Services Committee, and Roads and Bridges Committee. 

Commissioner Chuck Wright will serve on the Building & Grounds Committee, Chestatee-Chattahoochee RC&D Council, Keep Toccoa-Stephens County Beautiful Board and the Toccoa/Stephens County Humane Shelter Board of Directors.

Commissioner Dennis Bell will serve on the Stephens County Chamber of Commerce, E911 Advisory Board, Emergency Services, Keep Toccoa-Stephens County Beautiful Board and Stephens County Soil & Water Conservation District.

Commissioner Debbie Whitlock will serve on the E911 Advisory, Health Board, Joint Services Committee, and Roads and Bridges Committee. 

As WNEG News reported yesterday, the Stephens County Board of Commissioners elected the 2024 chair and vice chair during Tuesday’s meeting, with Simmons selected as Chair and Rickman selected as Vice Chair. We heard Rickman’s comments on the appointment yesterday, and WNEG News caught up with Simmons yesterday to hear her thoughts on the appointment. 

She said, “ I am honored to be nominated and selected as the Chair of the Stephens County Board of Commissioners for 2024. I look forward to working with board members who each are successful in their respective fields, who bring their individual expertise to the board and community. As a board, we are looking forward to proceeding with long-term projects that will provide great benefits to Stephens County and its residents.”=

The next Stephens County Board of Commissioners meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024.