Chairman leaves authority and county
It was a true bon voyage for Bill Coleman on May 24.
Bill Coleman has resigned as chairman of the county's Development Authority.
Special photo
Just hours after a special gathering at the Evans Government Complex to recognize Coleman's final meeting as Columbia County's Development Authority chairman, he boarded a plane headed to Paris for a long vacation.
"I'm headed to the airport,'' he said, after thanking fellow development authority members and other county officials for the May 24 recognition.
On Tuesday, Coleman handed over the chairman position after serving eight years on the development authority, the past two of which were spent in the chairman role.
County officials, including county commission Chairman Ron Cross and school Superintendent Tommy Price, gathered to wish Coleman well with his retirement from the board and a planned move to a McDuffie County home on Stagecoach Road.
"We'll be calling for advice along the way,'' Cross said after Coleman was presented with a plaque in honor of his service.
"Thank you so much for the plaque,'' Coleman said.
With Coleman no longer a development authority member, the open spot is set to be filled by Pete Brodie.
The development authority, however, will vote on who will fill the chairman role. Coleman said his likely replacement would be the authority's current vice chairman, Ron Thigpen.