The Dawson County Board of Commissioners has named Holland J. Leger the county’s new planning director.

Leger served as the city planner of Webster, Texas, for the past three years. In that position he acted as planning director and was responsible for all current- and long-range planning, zoning and land development. Prior to that, Leger served for 12 years as senior planner for the Greenville County Planning Commission in Greenville, S.C.

"In our search for a new planning director, Dawson County appealed to both state and national authorities for applicants," said Community Development Director Lynn Tully. "The search was well worth the effort in that many qualified applications were received and it was difficult to pare down the list. However, the applicant from Texas stood out.

"His qualifications and experience were just the right combination for our rural transitioning county. I am pleased to welcome Holland Leger to our staff and excited to be working with him on our planning team."

Holland earned a bachelor of science degree in industrial technology and earned a master of arts degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Southwestern Louisiana.

Leger is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, the American Planning Association, and received recognition from the City of Webster for Meritorious Service to the Emergency Operations Center during Hurricane Rita.

"The opportunity to return to the mountains and continue the pursuit of a rewarding career serving local government as part of the Dawson County management team is so exciting," Leger said. "I anxiously look forward to the challenge of promoting quality development in the community, while providing effective rural growth management and planning services for the conservation, preservation and enhancement of the mountainous regions of North Georgia."

He began serving as planning director at the end of February.

Dawson County Public Works Director David Headley, who also is new in his position, recently announced some projects that had been completed in the county. He commended James Tolbert, head of the facilities department, for work done at Lindsey Ford/Six Mile park on Ga. 53.

He also noted that Eddie Savage, head of the roads department, has been gravelling road shoulders, improving road drainage and doing grading on dirt roads across the county. There are about 135 dirt roads across Dawson County, according to Headley.

"My hat goes off to these gentlemen and their staff for their hard work and determination," Headley said. "I look forward to working with them on their pursuits to making Dawson County a model community for surrounding counties to follow and we look to the public for support."