Cherokee County Advisory Roundtable - Transportation Panel

Join the Council for Quality Growth's Cherokee County Advisory Roundtable on November 15th at 11:30 AM in-person at the Cherokee Office of Economic Development for a Cherokee Transportation Panel. Special featured speakers from Cherokee County, the various cities, and Georgia Department of Transportation.

Moderator:

Geoff Morton, County Manager, Cherokee County

Geoff Morton has been County Manager since June of 2021.  Geoff’s career with Cherokee County spans more than 20 years.  He began in December 2001 as Capital Projects/Roadway SPLOST Manager and was promoted to County Engineer in 2003.  In 2018 his title changed to Community Development Agency Director where he managed the operations of the Engineering Department, Stormwater Department, Roadway SPLOST Program, Public Works Department, Planning & Zoning Department, Building Department and the Development Services Center.  Prior to his work with the County, Geoff served as City Engineer and Public Works Director for the City of Woodstock from 1996 through 2001. He currently resides in downtown Woodstock with his wife of 36 years.


Panelists:

Chris Luly, Director of Planning & Zoning, City of Ball Ground

Chris Luly has served as City of Ball Ground Director of Planning and Zoning since 2021. Prior to this role, he held related positions in Cherokee County, the Charleston, SC area and Athens-Clarke County, GA. He grew up in Cherokee County and obtained a bachelor degree from Auburn University and a Master of Urban Planning and Design from the University of Georgia.  Chris and his family reside in Holly Springs.







Bethany Watson, City Engineer, City of Canton

Bethany Watson currently serves as the City Engineer for the City of Canton. With over 15 years in municipal engineering, Bethany oversees a variety of Capital Improvements Projects including transportation, pedestrian, and water and sewer utilities related projects. In her role, she also manages all land disturbing activities in the City, including erosion control, stormwater, and site development. Bethany has been with the City of Canton for 10 years and is excited about the direction Canton is headed. She resides in Ball Ground with her husband and 5 children. 



Rob Logan, City Manager, City of Holly Springs

Rob Logan, a long-time Cherokee County resident, is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA). He began his career in tax and auditing with Hensley, Land & Associates, PC, and later became Canton’s first CFO in 1998, serving until 2010. Rob then joined CH2M Hill as Director of Administrative Services for Sandy Springs. He has led the City of Holly Springs as City Manager since 2011.  Rob is active in our community and volunteers on various boards including The Children’s Haven and the Holly Springs Optimist Club.






Jamie Palmer, Assistant to City Manager, City of Woodstock

Jamie Palmer was promoted to Assistant to the City Manager in January 2024 after serving as Special Projects Manager since October 2021. He joined the city in May 2016 as an intern in the Public Works department and served as a Development Services Specialist from January 2017 to October 2021. Jamie is a graduate of Reinhardt University and has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Political Science and Government. He has received certificates in American Foreign Policy and Supply-Side Economics & American Prosperity from Hillsdale College. He holds a certificate from the University of Georgia in Project Management.




Patrick Bradshaw, SPLOST Roadway Projects Manager, Cherokee County

Patrick Bradshaw brings 15 years of transportation planning and project delivery experience to Cherokee County. Before Cherokee, Patrick worked in several roles at the Atlanta Regional Commission, all pertaining to the development, maintenance and delivery of the Atlanta region’s Transportation Improvement Program, which outlines all short-term transportation investments which utilize federal funding.  He also served as a jurisdiction liaison to various local governments in the 20-county Atlanta region, assisting with the development of their county transportation planning efforts.  Patrick holds a Masters Degree in City and Regional Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Urban Policy Studies from Georgia State University. He is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners. He lives in Marietta with this wife and two children.


David Acree, Assistant District Engineer for District 6, Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT)

David Acree has worked for the Georgia Department of Transportation for over 27 years. He began his career with GDOT in the General Office in downtown Atlanta.  In 2015, he accepted the role of District 6 Preconstruction Engineer and was appointed as the Assistant District Engineer in 2018.