The Bryan County Board of Commissioners has settled on its top choices for who will soon replace Phil Jones as the county administrator.
The board has narrowed its pool of 25 applicants to two: William Jason Tinsley of Habersham County and Ray Pittman of Bryan County. The board came to its decision during a called executive session meeting held Tuesday.
“We hate to see Phil go,” commission Chairman Jimmy Burnsed said Friday. “I want to transfer his brain to someone else. He has been with the county for a long time. Those kinds are irreplaceable, but I think we’ve got good candidates.”
Jones began his career with the county in 1991 and moved into the administrator position a year or two later. He said he took a hiatus “somewhere in the middle” to work for the state but has held Bryan’s top post for 17 or 18 years.
“It’s just been an enjoyable time and a great opportunity to serve the people,” Jones said. “And hopefully we got a lot got accomplished in that time frame.”

Read more in the Sept. 22 edition of the News.