Rep. Ed Rynders reappointed to OneGeorgia Overview Commission

ATLANTA — State Rep. Ed Rynders, R-Leesburg, has been reappointed by Georgia House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge to serve on the OneGeorgia Overview Commission, officials from the Georgia House of Representatives said.

Rynders will continue to serve as chair of the commission.

“I am honored that Speaker Ralston selected me to serve on this important commission,” said Rynders in a news release. “OneGeorgia has helped many rural areas, including our district, by providing much needed improvements and a boost to the economy. I look forward to working on this important economic development project.”

The OneGeorgia Authority has provided assistance for projects in Lee County such as infrastructure improvements along U.S. 82, and brought water and sewer to Robert B. Lee Road in Leesburg. These efforts saved the city of Leesburg and the Lee County School System approximately $500,000, state officials said.

The OneGeorgia Overview Commission is charged with making periodical reviews of the operations, contracts, safety, financing, organization and structure of the OneGeorgia Authority. The commission is also expected to evaluate the success of the program to ensure it is accomplishing its legislatively created purposes.

The OneGeorgia Authority serves as a financial partner and catalyst meant to help rural communities maintain excellent quality of life advantages while also creating sustainable and diversified economies. The authority utilizes one-third of Georgia’s share of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement to assist the state’s most economically challenged areas. Officials said the Authority anticipates spending $1.6 billion on investments in Georgia’s rural counties over the 25-year term of the settlement.

Governments, government authorities, joint or multi-county development authorities, lending institutions and airport authorities are considered among the qualified applicants for its grant and loan programs.

Rynders represents District 152, which includes all of Lee and Worth counties, and a portion of Sumter County. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2002, and is currently the chair of the House Governmental Affairs Committee, Secretary of the Health and Human Services, Appropriations, and Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment committees as well as ex-officio of the Ways and Means Committee. Rynders is also a member of the Intragovernmental Coordination and Transportation committees.

For more information on the OneGeorgia Authority, visit www.onegeorgia.org.