Bartow County Manager Appointed to Local Government 9-1-1 Authority

CARTERSVILLE, GA -- Bartow County Manager Peter Olson's list of responsibilities has grown longer, as he has been appointed by Gov. Nathan Deal to a Local Government 9-1-1 Authority Advisory Board.

The authority, which will be housed under the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, will go into effect on July 1. Deal will introduce legislation codifying the Authority during the 2018 legislative session.

According to an executive order signed May 30 by Deal, the authority will have the power and responsibility to seek funding to study technology needed for statewide connectivity of 9-1-1 systems; make recommendations to the Georgia Public Safety Training Center or other agencies regarding training for 9-1-1 operators; identify any necessary changes for fee assessment and collection; and evaluate data related to "public safety answering points."

The Local Government 9-1-1 Authority Advisory Board is made up of state agency leaders, local elected officials and representatives from the public safety and law enforcement communities, as recommended by Senate Bill 222. Its members include:

• Colonel Mark McDonough, commissioner, Department of Public Safety
• Lynne Riley, commissioner, Department of Revenue
• Cheryl Greathouse, Instructional Services Division director, Georgia Public Safety Training Center
• Greg Whitaker, director, Douglas County E-911
• William Wright, manager, Barrow County E-911
• Ted Wynn, Public Safety and Emergency Management director, Bulloch County
• Charlotte Nash, chairman, Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners
• Peter Olson, county manager, Bartow County
• Eddie DeLoach, mayor, city of Savannah
• John McDonough, city manager, city of Sandy Springs
• Michael Wall, vice president of Government & Regulatory Affairs, Comcast
• Kevin Curtin, assistant vice president of Legislative Affairs, AT&T
• Billy Hancock, sheriff, Crisp County
• Billy Grogan, police chief, city of Dunwoody
• Joel Baker, fire chief, city of Atlanta

“For some time now, state and local officials have been exploring solutions to modernize our 9-1-1 system and improve our communications network,” said Deal. “This past session, legislation creating a semi-autonomous body to oversee 9-1-1 operations, fee collections and disbursements came to my desk. While SB 222 attempted to address several current challenges, many of which I’ve incorporated into this executive order, it presented me with other concerns."

One of those concerns, which were explained by Deal in his veto statement, included the lack of state oversight and coordination that could subsequently hurt emergency response efforts. He also said the authority would go unfunded for two years under the original model.

Recognizing the need for better statewide service, Deal moved forward with creating the authority to be housed and funded through GEMA/HS.

"I’m grateful for the input and recommendations provided by local emergency response workers and officials, legislators and other stakeholders and look forward to working with the Authority moving forward," Deal added.

Upon recommendation by the Senate legislation, GEMA Director Homer Bryson appointed Michael Nix to serve as director of the authority. Nix is the local government liaison and deputy director of executive appointments in the governor’s office. He works closely with local government officials, agencies and other organizations to ensure local issues are addressed and coordinate effective responses to their needs.

During natural disasters or in a state of emergency, Nix serves as GEMA/HS liaison supporting external affairs efforts, including coordinating with local officials and media outlets to provide the public with timely and accurate lifesaving information.

Nix is a member of the Youth Activities Commission for the city of Newnan and a volunteer with the Coweta Community Foundation. He earned a bachelor’s degree in public policy from Georgia State University. Nix is a member of Macedonia Baptist Church and lives in Newnan.

Image via Peter Olson