Stonecrest, South Fulton transition teams named

5-person panels will help residents form new cities.

Gov. Nathan Deal on Tuesday named members of the transition teams that will help residents form the new cities of Stonecrest and South Fulton.

The five-person teams will help facilitate the negotiation of intergovernmental agreements, the collection of taxes and the creation of community services. Members of the transition teams cannot run for elected city office.

The county governments and other entities will work with the transition teams to ensure a smooth start to the new cities, which will hold their first elections in March. The cities will officially form May 1.

In South Fulton, the transition team will be led by Camilla Moore. Moore has been heavily involved in the cityhood movement and advocated for South Fulton’s passage.

Sen. Donzella James, D-Atlanta, and Rep. Roger Bruce, D-Atlanta, are both on the team. Each represents South Fulton and was involved in creating the legislation that allowed residents to vote on the city.

Other members of the team are Josh Belinfante, an attorney who represented South Fulton residents who were opposed to annexations into Atlanta, and Kevin Grimes, a U.S. Navy veteran who is the CEO of a finance and accounting company and teaches compliance, contracting and procurement courses.

The Stonecrest transition team will be led by Joel Thibodeaux, the director of audits and compliance with the DeKalb County School System.

Jim Burgess, the retired executive director of the Georgia Municipal Association and the former mayor of Social Circle will be on the committee, as will Markus Butts, a DeKalb County planning commissioner and the manager of land acquisition and real estate for the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management.