The Union County Development Authority is no more after Sole Commissioner Harold Collins dissolved the organization in his regular monthly meeting on Thursday, Feb. 20.
Upon adoption, Resolution R-2025-07 immediately disbanded the 51-year-old county agency and its current board members and leadership, including executive director Mitch Griggs who had led the authority since 2008.
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“All assets, debts, rights and obligations held in the name of the Union County Development Authority will be immediately transferred to Union County,” Collins said before moving on to other business.
Following the regular meeting, Collins opened the floor for comments, where he encountered opposition from Development Authority members and others.
Collins justified his decision by stating the dissolution would save taxpayers approximately $190,000 annually, including salary costs north of $100,000 for Griggs.
“From what I’ve seen over these last several years, we’re not getting our money’s worth,” Collins said.
When pressed, including in a comment by Panel Built Inc. owner Mike Kiernan – a UCDA Board member – that his company and its 350-plus employees wouldn’t exist without the authority, Collins said he wasn’t inherently against the idea of a development authority.
Along with his current Panel Built staff, Kiernan stated his company is in the process of building a 72,000-square-foot addition for 75 more employees, and without the Development Authority, Panel Built will be unable to secure the industrial revenue bond already approved by the UCDA.
As the bottom line, Kiernan said without the bond, his company’s expected growth would be in limbo.
“Just because I’m dissolving it right now doesn’t mean I can’t bring it back in three months under a new administration,” Collins said. “I can bring it back at any time under a new administration.”
Asked for clarification, Collins responded, “I don’t think that under the current (Development Authority) administration we are getting our money’s worth.”
Kiernan questioned Collins regarding his decision and the potential impact it would have on the community’s job market when 200 Union County High School graduates enter the workforce this summer, resulting in a brief back and forth.
“I’m not stopping you from employing them,” Collins replied.
“If I can’t build the facilities because I don’t have an industrial revenue bond, then you are.” Kiernan said.
“We can talk about that. Come by my office,” Collins said. “If we have to put a new board in next week, we’ll do that if that’s going to save jobs, but it will be under a new administration.”
Collins added that communication issues with the Development Authority have been a concern since he took office: “They don’t reach out to you, and we’ve got to work together, so that’s the reason I want to change the administration.”
After being accused himself of a lack of communication with the Development Authority – the dissolution surprised board members as well as Griggs, who sent out the Feb. 21 UCDA Board Meeting agenda just hours earlier – Collins responded, “They should have come to me.”
As for when the Development Authority could possibly return under new leadership, Collins said he didn’t know at the moment: “It may be one month, it may be six months.”
During a dialogue with Griggs, the commissioner implied that he was elected to limit growth before questioning where the county would house additional workers without adding more apartments and affordable housing.
Griggs suggested that Union County is fortunate to attract a regional labor force from surrounding counties in Georgia and North Carolina, which is more than enough to cover the new job openings. He also told the commissioner if the tax digest doesn’t grow to match inflation, the county will start losing money unless the millage rate is increased.
In return, Collins cited additional costs in public services like law enforcement that come with maintaining growth.
Local business owner Brad Lester stepped forward to verify Collins’ motives behind the dissolution of the UCDA, asking if it was to limit growth, save money or simply bring in a new board and director.
“It’s to get a new administration so we won’t be spending as much money,” Collins answered. “The main one (Griggs) is making over $100,000 a year.”
Local attorney Jack Lance suggested that Collins simply replace the Development Authority’s current administration instead of terminating the organization entirely.
County Attorney William Mercer Jr. stated that the county can only legally replace the board members by starting the UCDA over from scratch, adding there is no timetable for a replacement and the UCDA was created by a resolution and can be dissolved by a resolution.
After the meeting, Griggs disagreed with the way Collins characterized the Development Authority’s value, highlighting the nearly 17 years he and board members have worked to secure $94.3 million in direct economic investment that has resulted in the creation of 994 local jobs.
He also pointed to 2025 being a banner year for investment locally, with $80 million on tap to bring in over 400 additional jobs, though he intimated all that was up in the air now.
Among other meeting business, Union County and the Georgia Department of Transportation reached an agreement for grant funding in the amount of $158,250 for the period of July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, for the operation of the Union County Transportation System.
For the Road Department, Collins authorized an $11,275 contract with Estes Equipment Company to replace fuel monitoring system equipment, along with a $16,665 deal for an OMNTEC ATG replacement for tank monitoring and leak detection purposes.
The commissioner accepted a $255,589.50 agreement with GMASS Inc. for the upcoming reappraisal of a third of county properties as required every year, with the duration of the contract spanning Jan. 29-Dec. 31 of 2025.
Collins issued resolutions appointing Mercer as County Attorney – he formerly served as deputy county attorney – Jennifer Mahan as the Open Records Officer and Jill Chastain as Alternate Open Records Officer.
Additionally, Collins tabled the idea of hiring a firm to conduct a forensic audit on the county government, citing the audit’s exorbitant price tag of over $400,000.
Three Union County Recreation Department basketball teams, the 12U girls, 12U boys and 14U boys, were recognized for their wins in the Mountain Athletic Conference championships.
County Manager Tony Hughes provided an operations update, praising the Rec Department’s registration of 786 kids across five spring sports while announcing a “zero-tolerance policy” for fans and parents who display unsportsmanlike behavior during youth games.
Immediately prior to the county meeting, Collins held a public hearing to discuss future business, including proposed revisions to the Union County Code of Ordinances related to alcoholic beverages.
Collins is considering reducing a restaurant’s minimum seating requirement threshold from 30 to 16 in order to serve alcohol.
This proposal drew some pushback suggesting it would clear the way for more bars and nightclubs, but Mercer indicated that wasn’t the case, declaring some smaller eateries don’t have the septic tank capacity to serve more than 30 customers.
The commissioner also held a discussion regarding revisions to the Code of Ordinances related to short-term rentals.
If approved, the county would start requiring applicants to update their personal information annually when they reapply for a Short-Term Rental License. Furthermore, the required Good Neighbor Notification would have to be distributed to neighbors prior to the first rental.
