CLARKESVILLE - Habersham County soon will be saying goodbye to its economic development director and hello to a new business in its Airport Industrial Park.
Commission Chairman Andrea Harper made the announcement about the new business near the end of Monday night's Habersham County Commission meeting.
OK Foods will be locating in the former Glenroe Building on Industrial Park Drive in Baldwin.
"I was there today and met with them," Harper said. "It's going to be an egg transport company. They're going to turn that huge building out there into a giant cooler. They're going to be shipping these eggs to Mexico. Once they go down there to the farmers down there to become broilers, they will not be coming back into the United States. They will be going right into the Mexican market."
Harper said company officials plan to use local vendors to get the facility up and running.
"He said that he would be using a local air conditioning, local landscaping, they're looking for an exterminator," Harper said. "They are using our local contractors. Unfortunately, when they bought the company out in Gillsville, part of the deal was any of the employees there that might want to come up here could have their jobs, so he didn't know how many jobs would actually be available locally.
"We're just proud to have them," Harper said. "They look like they'll be a good company. He was already complaining because the lawn out there needed mowing and he wanted to make it look good."
County development director to leave for Oconee Co. post
Regarding the county's current economic development director, J.R. Charles was announced last week as sole finalist for Oconee County's director of economic development, starting the 14-day clock required before formal appointment there.
"I don't know if he's actually gotten that job yet," Harper said. "They haven't voted on him. I feel fairly confident that he has. I've spoken to the chairman of the county commission in Oconee County."
A native of Douglas, Charles is a 2005 graduate of the University of Georgia. He joined Habersham County in 2012.
Harper said the county commission and development authority need to work together to determine how to proceed with the position.
