The Governor’s Commission on Brookhaven will hold its first meeting on Thursday, September 13, at 8:00 p.m. at St. Martin’s Episcopal School, 3110 Ashford Dunwoody Road. All meetings of the Governor’s Commission are open to the public.
The Governor’s Commission plays an important role in setting up the new City of Brookhaven, which will officially open for business on December 17. Among other things, the Commission will vet candidates for major city positions such as city manager, city attorney and city clerk; make plans for the delivery of city services; issue RFPs for contractors to provide services to the city; conduct negotiations with DeKalb County regarding services; identify leased space for city offices; and hold a training seminar for city council candidates.
Click here to read the official notice of Thursday’s meeting.
On August 31, Governor Deal named the five members of the Commission. There is one representative from each of the city’s four council districts, plus an at-large chairman. The appointees are a good group of active citizens. They are as follows:
Ben Vinson, chairman
Vinson is an attorney at McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP, where he focuses on political law. Prior to his work at the firm, Vinson served as majority caucus counsel in the Georgia House of Representatives. Vinson received his law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law and his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Furman University. After law school, Vinson served as clerk for Judge W. Brevard Hand of the U.S. District Court. Vinson currently serves as the chairman of the Georgia Immigration Enforcement Review Board. He and his wife, Ansley, live in Brookhaven with their daughter.
J.D. Clockadale, District 1 representative
Clockadale is the director of marketing promotions for RaceTrac Petroleum, Inc. Additionally, Clockadale chairs a private security patrol, staffed by off-duty DeKalb County officers, to aid successful law enforcement in Brookhaven. Prior to his work for RaceTrac Petroleum, Clockadale was the owner and managing partner for Impero, LLC and worked as a financial and insurance representative for Prudent Financial. Clockadale has been involved in developing Brookhaven while serving as founding board member of both Brookhaven Yes and Citizens for North DeKalb. Clockadale is a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology where he received his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and his MBA in Entrepreneurship and Innovations.
Todd E. Lantier, District 2 representative
Lantier is the unit sales manager for MassMutual Financial Group/Capstone Financial Partners. Lantier previously served as director of investments for both Mass/Mutual Financial Group/Capstone Financial Partner and New York Life Insurance Company. Lantier received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Caldwell College and his associate’s degree in Building Construction Management from Wentworth Institute of Technology. Additionally, as an experienced financial services sales professional, Lantier is recognized as a designated Charted Mutual Fund Consultant. Lantier is the current president of the Brookhaven Community Connection, a founding member of Ashford Park School Education Foundation, and an advisory board member of Friends of Brookhaven Park. Lantier resides in Brookhaven with his wife, Shelia, and their children.
Jed Beardsley, District 3 representative
Beardsley is a shareholder in the law firm Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, P.C., where he specializes in real estate and tax law. Beardsley received his law degree from Emory University School of Law, his master’s in Business Administration degree from Emory University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia. In addition to his professional achievements, Beardsley has supported the Brookhaven Community for years and currently serves as president of the Historic Brookhaven Foundation, Inc., and as a board member of the Historic Brookhaven Neighborhood Association. Beardsley was also the founding member for the Brookhaven Community Connection, Inc., a “business league” for local organizations.
Kim Gökçe, District 4 representative
Gökçe serves as technical project manager for AT&T. Prior to this position, Gökçe worked as manager for the Coca-Cola Company, project manager for BellSouth Telecommunications and BellSouth Business Systems, program manager for AT&T, and business analyst for Andrews-Fischer, Inc. Gökçe received his bachelor’s degree from Georgia State University and Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Hartford. Gökçe is also certified as a project management professional and a certified Netware engineer. Gökçe has served as the founding director for both the Brookhaven Community Connection and the Cross Keys Foundation, helping business and supporting public education. He was also the founding Steering Committee member for the Cross Keys Sustainable Neighborhood Initiative. In addition, Gökçe is fluent in Spanish, which he has perfected while working in the Hispanic community in DeKalb County.
Posted by Mike Jacobs 
