Newly elected state Rep. Bill Yearta eager to hit the ground running

SYLVESTER — Bill Yearta knows he has some big shoes to fill with the loss this year of two experienced southwest Georgia state representatives, Ed Rynders to resignation, and with the recent death of Jay Powell.

Yearta, who won the Dec. 3 runoff election against former Leesburg Mayor Jim Quinn for the House District 152 seat, said he realizes the region has lost quite a bit of clout with those events. The Sylvester Republican and former mayor of that city will serve out the remaining one year of the term for which Rynders’ was elected

Powell, who was chairman of the House Rules Committee, died suddenly on Nov. 25 while at a retreat with other Republican lawmakers.

“Jay was a good friend,” Yearta said. “I’ve known Jay since we were both mayors. I was mayor of Sylvester and he was mayor of Camilla. He really was an advocate for rural Georgia, and he was a great legislator. He will be sorely missed.

“I was going to use his advice. He was going to be my mentor.”

As a freshman when the legislature convenes in January, Yearta will have a lot to learn.

But he said he hopes to play a role in continuing to advocate for the interests of his district, which includes all of Lee and Worth counties and a portion of Sumter County, as well as the region.

“We’re going to hit the ground running, and we’re going to be an advocate for south Georgia and rural Georgia,” he said.

Part of that means working to ensure that the area isn’t forgotten when it comes to economic development. The area is rich in agricultural diversity, and agriculture is the state’s No. 1 industry by far.

Yearta said he wants to see the state continue to support that industry and not leave rural Georgia out when it comes to technology and education, which will be important in improving residents’ economic prospects.

“Georgia has been named seven years in a row as the best place to do business,” he said. “There have been a lot of announcements (of industrial projects) in the state, but not so much here. Agriculture has been the backbone of our economy, and we certainly want to illustrate that. We need the infrastructure to move products to market.”

Broadband internet is one area where Yearta doesn’t want southwest Georgia to get left behind. That infrastructure is important to companies looking to locate and students who are in school now.

“We need to improve our standard of living in southwest Georgia, that would be our ultimate goal, and also to educate people for the jobs of the future,” Yearta said. “We need to support our high schools and technical schools. There’s a need for skilled workers. There are a lot of skilled jobs out there. Sometimes there are jobs out there and no one to fill them.”

As mayor, Yearta was aware that electrical line workers with experience could make $42 an hour, for example. Welders, plumbers, construction workers and other skilled workers also are in demand.

“What we’ve got to do is certainly encourage our students to stay in school and pursue those skills,” he said.

Yearta said he would like to be involved with the House Rural Economic Development Council, which has been working to address some of the issues pressing in areas where there is poor, and sometimes no, connection to internet and cellphone service.

“That is so important in today’s economy, that we have broadband and connectivity,” Yearta said. “There is no reason the jobs in technology can’t come here if we have the people trained to do those jobs. We need to make sure southwest Georgia takes advantage of that, is positioned to take advantage of that.

“Southwest Georgia doesn’t have the tax base that some of the metro counties have. We need to make sure the funds we need for education and infrastructure are in place.”

Yearta said he has no specific legislation in mind for the 2020 session, but has spoken with Gov. Brian Kemp, who called to congratulate him on his win, and other legislators.

“I’m going to be working on any legislation that benefits the hard-working families of District 152 and improves the quality of life,” he said. “We’re excited to go to Atlanta, and we’re going to work very hard. District 152 is a great place to live and work. We’ve got a lot going on in southwest Georgia.

“We need to make sure we’re recognized and our economy is recognized and we get the funds we deserve down here.”