Former Paulding Commission Chairman Shearin Named to GDOT Board

Former Paulding County Commission Chairman Jerry Shearin was elected last week to represent the 14th Congressional District on the State Transportation Board that governs the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT).
Shearin is owner/operator of McAdams Insurance and fills the seat left vacant by the retirement of former Board Member Roger Williams, who left in August. He was joined on the board by Jamie Boswell and Emily Dunn.
The board’s 14 members, representing each of the state’s congressional districts, serve staggered, five-year terms. The State Transportation Board determines policy for and exercises general governance of the Georgia Department of Transportation.
Shearin defeated former Whitfield County Commission Chairman Mike Babb in a close vote for the seat. Board members are elected by state senators and representatives whose legislative districts fall within all or part of the relevant congressional district. The district includes Paulding and 11 other northwest Georgia counties.
Shearin thanked the delegation from the congressional district for their support and cited transportation as a key issue for the state. Contacted by phone last week Shearin said he was looking forward to serving on a board “...that can get a lot of good things done around the state.”
[And] connectivity will be key to road construction as we move forward, he said.
“As GDOT rebuilds our roads they will need all kinds of connectivity. Broadband/Fiber is the way of the future for road construction,” he said.
And Shearin said that making allowances for fiber doesn’t cost the taxpayer any money, but does lay the groundwork for the connectivity that will be needed later.
“When you’re building a road, you sign a contract with a fiber provider and they can put the duct-work in without the fiber; they’ll blow the fiber in later,” Shearin said.
Locally, Shearin said, without it prospects to bring new industries into the county will remain very difficult.
Shearin served two terms as Paulding County commission chairman from 2000 to 2008 before losing his bid for a third term to David Austin, which came during an election season that was not kind to incumbents.
Numerous projects were advanced or completed during the two terms Shearin served as chairman, such as the Watson Government Complex. Paulding’s airport was also established under Shearin’s watch but did not become entangled in litigation until after he’d left office.

From left, State Transportation Board members Jamie Boswell, Emily Dunn and Jerry Shearin were elected to five-year terms last week. Shearin, a former Paulding County Commission chairman, was elected to represent the 14th Congressional District which includes Paulding. (Photo: submitted)