Atlanta Regional Commission swears in two board members

The Atlanta Regional Commission swore in two new board members and plans to swear in a third.

Clayton County Commission Chair Alieka Anderson-Henry and Rockdale County Commission Chair JaNice Van Ness were elected to their respective county’s top posts in November. The ARC will swear in DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson will be sworn in at a future board meeting.

The 41-member board oversees the agency’s efforts to improve the quality of life in metro Atlanta and plan for the region’s successful future. Under state law, the highest elected office in each of the ARC’s 11 member counties serves on the ARC Board.

“We are excited to welcome our new board members to the regional planning table. Their fresh perspectives will help inform our ongoing work supporting the Atlanta region,” Atlanta Mayor and ARC Board Chair Andre Dickens said in a release. “We know that we can count on them to maintain a regional mindset as they make important decisions that impact their communities and those around them.”

In addition to the county commission chairs, the ARC Board consists of the mayor and a council member from the city of Atlanta, a mayor from each of the 11 counties, and a mayor from each of the 11 counties except for Fulton, which has two mayoral representatives, one from North Fulton and one from South Fulton. The board also includes 15 citizen members selected by the board’s elected officials and a representative of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.