The new joint development authority formed by Liberty, Long and McIntosh counties held its first meeting recently and took several necessary steps.

The Tri-95 Georgia Joint Development Authority selected its officers and adopted its bylaws in its initial meeting, held at the Liberty County Development Authority offices. Officials from all three counties announced the formation of the JDA in late June.

“I am very excited and grateful we are at this point,” said LCDA CEO Brynn Grant. “I know the hard work is ahead.”

Grant, along with Long County Development Authority CEO Brad Day and Tom Draffin, CEO of the McIntosh County Industrial Development Authority, will be a co-CEO of the JDA. State Rep. Al Williams, who chairs the Liberty County Development Authority, was selected as the JDA’s chairman. Kate Karwacki, chairperson of the McIntosh County Board of Commissioners, was named vice chairman, Jimmy Shanken, who chairs the Long County Development Authority, was selected secretary, and Chris Harper, chairman of the McIntosh IDA, was chosen as treasurer.

Kelly Davis, attorney for the Liberty County Development Authority, said the bylaws presented to the JDA were patterned after state law. He also pointed out that the three individual development authorities were created differently — Long’s was done through state statute, and Liberty and McIntosh have development authorities created through the state constitution.

Meetings will be hosted on a rotating basis through the members, though the Liberty County Development Authority’s address will serve as the listed address. An address is mandated, Davis added, for correspondence to be delivered.

State law also requires JDAs to meet quarterly, but they can meet more frequently than that, Davis said.

The bylaws also spelled out terms of office for each member and how members can be removed, if that arises.

Any intergovernmental agreements with costs have to be approved by the individual boards of commissioners.

“When it comes to major infrastructure improvements, it’s going to require additional lifting,” Davis said. “Just being a member does not obligate you to any spending or any debt.”

The Tri-95 Georgia JDA also is planning to showcase its three counties before the start of the Georgia Economic Developers Association’s annual conference September 1719 in Savannah, with what it calls “Waves and Clays.”

“We really want to seize the opportunity to show I-95 to those who are our primary targets,” Grant said.

“They will see we are very serious about this and making it work,” Williams said. “It is exciting.”

Grant’s co-CEOs of the JDA also are eager to show off this part of southeast Georgia to site selectors and economic development professionals.

“I am excited about setting a great precedent and setting a great tone for future events,” Day said.

“It’s a double win,” Draffin said.