MoCo Welcomes New Leaders
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Family and friends of Montgomery County’s newest leaders crowded the Montgomery County Courtroom on Monday, December 30, as the County swore in its newest officials.
The first newly elected official to swear in during the cer-
Photo by Makaylee Randolph continued from page
emony was Montgomery County Probate Judge Stacie Sharpe Randolph. Randolph has worked as the chief deputy clerk in the Montgomery County Probate Court for over three years, as she was able to learn and gain experience in the court under the tutelage of retired Montgomery County Probate Judge Rubie Nell Sanders.
Randolph is a lifelong resident of Montgomery County, having graduated from Montgomery County High School and Brewton-Parker College. She is married to Jason Randolph, and the couple has three daughters – Makaylee, Ansleigh, and Brantley Grace.
Prior to working in the Montgomery County Probate Court, Randolph has worked in various professions in government and education, serving 2 years as an administrative assistant to former Montgomery County Tax Commissioner Lawana Sharpe, 8 years as an elementary school teacher, and 3 years as an election official. Randolph said that these experiences have helped to prepare her for her work as Probate Judge, as she has learned valuable public relations and critical thinking skills.
Her goals in office are to digitize historic records, help the community however possible, and to uphold the law efficiently within the court.
“I am so excited to be able to serve the citizens of Montgomery County – I have lived here my entire life, and I am thrilled to be able to give back to a community that has given so much to me,” Randolph emphasized. “I have been very blessed to learn so much about serving in this role with integrity, grace, and justice through watching Mrs. Rubie Nell over the years. I have big shoes to fill, and I hope I can continue the standard of excellence that she has set in the Montgomery County Probate Court.”
Judge Randolph will be joined in the court by her Deputy Clerk Angel Cummings, who officially began her new position at the Montgomery County Courthouse on Thursday, January 2.
Tax Commissioner
After 20 years, Montgomery County now has a new tax commissioner, as Renia Wooten-Perry officially took her oath of office during the ceremony on December 30.
Perry earned a master’s degree in Public Safety Administration at Columbus State University. She is a former Georgia State Trooper, who retired as a Sergeant First Class after 20 years of service. Notably, during her time of service, Perry was commissioned to protect the first female chief justice of the Georgia Supreme Court and former First Lady Mary Perdue.
She lives in Ailey with her husband, U.S. Army Veteran and retired Georgia State Trooper JD Perry; the pair have four children and seven grandchildren.
Perry has several goals for her first term as tax commissioner, such as prioritizing the improvement of the process of locating, verifying, and appraising all properties in Montgomery County; improving communication with property owners; and improving the efficiency of the local tax system.
“I am truly honored and thrilled to be the Montgomery County Tax Commissioner! I am eager to get to work serving our great county and ensuring our tax office operates with transparency, efficiency, and fairness,” Perry commented. “I look forward to working with our community, listening to their concerns, and finding innovative solutions to ensure we get the best use from your hard earned tax dollars. I have retained [Tax/Tag Specialist] Victoria [Strange] in her current position to ensure there is minimal interruption to services. We have both committed to not only getting better acquainted with our community needs but engaging with training for support as well as gaining valuable knowledge through the many workshops they offer. Thank you for this incredible opportunity – I’m excited to make a positive impact!”
County Commission
Two new Montgomery County Commissioners were sworn into office in December, as District 1 Commissioner Jimmy “Pedro” Sharpe and District 2 Commissioner Amie Alexandria Vassey took their official oaths of office.
Amie Vassey
Vassey was unable to attend the county’s swearing in ceremony on December 30, so she took her official oath of office on the Montgomery County Courthouse steps on Friday, December 20.
She is a lifelong resident of the county, having graduated from Montgomery County High School as an honor graduate before earning her bachelor’s degree from Valdosta State University, where she graduated summa cum laude. Vassey has been in the workforce for 22 years – 14 of which have been at Republic Services in Montgomery County, where she currently works as an Operations Manager.
Vassey is a descendant of Asa Adams, who is a member of one of the original founding families of Montgomery County. She continues to build her family in the land of her ancestors, as she lives with her husband Travis and children Wyatt and Abigail.
Her goals for her first term on the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners are to create new revenue streams to provide property tax relief, to bring transparency to citizens, and to clean up Montgomery County’s abandoned and derelict properties.
Vassey commented on her new role. “I’m excited to represent the voice of the people and have an opportunity to focus on our budget and spending habits in an effort to make Montgomery County an even better place to live and work,” she emphasized. Jimmy “Pedro” Sharpe New commissioner Jimmy “Pedro” Sharpe was sworn into his first term on the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners alongside returning Commissioner Ginger Byrd Morris on December 30.
Sharpe is another lifelong resident of Montgomery County, as he is the son of the late Willie Mae and Houston Sharpe and graduated from Montgomery County High School in 1993. He currently lives in Kibbee with his daughter, Mallory Sharpe, and attends Mount Pisgah Baptist Church.
He previously worked with the Georgia Department of Corrections, which he retired from after 32 years of service, and has been a volunteer firefighter within the community for over 30 years. Sharpe has experience working with the Montgomery County Road Department, where he was employed part-time during the COVID-19 pandemic to help with staff shortages and has served as the county’s deputy emergency management agency director.
Sharpe’s goals for his first term as county commissioner are to improve the conditions of paved and dirt roads, to explore new options of revenue to try to help decrease high taxes, and to stop wasteful spending within the county government.
“I have spent my entire life trying to help make Montgomery County the best place that it could be, and this is just another way that I can do that. I love this county, and I will do my best to help lead it well,” he emphasized. “I’m excited to see what these next four years hold.” Board of Education New Montgomery County Board of Education District 3 Representative Allen Williamson officially took his oath of office alongside returning Board of Education Representatives Henry Price, Susan Beard, and Eugene “Pete” Ward at the ceremony on December 30.
Like most of the new leaders, Williamson is a Montgomery County native, having represented the county as the Montgomery County High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) President in 2000-2001 and the Montgomery County Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Good Citizen Awardee before graduating from Montgomery County High School in 2002. After high school, Williamson earned his Emergency Medical Technician diploma from Southeastern Technical College and certification as an emergency manager through the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and has since logged thousands of hours in the Georgia Fire Academy.
Williamson lives in Mount Vernon with his wife Beth, and the pair have three children – Bray, Hartley, and Rhett. He has been heavily involved in the school’s activities, and even helped spearhead the revitalization of the Montgomery County Athletic Boosters.
During his first term as a board member, Williamson hopes to work to reform the special education department and equip these teachers and staff with better training, stop excessive spending within the school system, and work to attract children that live within Montgomery County back to the district.
He spoke about this new endeavor. “As the time has come for me to take office, I am extremely excited to be able to put my experience to work,” Williamson remarked. “The idea of helping the children of Montgomery County achieve their full potential is my motivation.” Re-Elected Officials Other re-elected officials that were sworn in during the ceremony were Oconee Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Howard Kaufold, Clerk of Court Tammy Foskey, and Coroner Laurie Sharpe Holland.
Photo by Makaylee Randolph
Photo by Makaylee Randolph
Photo by Makaylee Randolph
Photo by Makaylee Randolph
SERVING HIS COMMUNITY – Montgomery County District 1 Commissioner Jimmy “Pedro” Sharpe said that becoming a county commissioner was just another way to serve his community – something he has worked to do throughout his life. He was sworn into office alongside returning Montgomery County District 3 Commissioner Ginger Byrd Morris on December 30. L to R: Retired Montgomery County Probate Judge Rubie Nell Sanders, Commissioner Ginger Byrd Morris, Allen Morris, Hayden Holcomb, Jesslen Morris Holcombe, Commissioner Pedro Sharpe, Julie Waller.
ALREADY INVOLVED – Though he is only beginning his time on the Montgomery County Board of Education, District 3 Board Member Allen Williamson has already been heavily involved with the Montgomery County School System. He was sworn in on December 30 alongside several returning board members. L to R: Retired Montgomery County Probate Judge Rubie Nell Sanders, Board Member Susan Beard, Beth Williamson, Board Member Allen Williamson, Board Member Eugene “Pete” Ward. Not pictured: Board Member Henry Price.
A NEW ERA – Montgomery County has a new Tax Commissioner for the first time in 20 years, as Montgomery County Tax Commissioner Renia Wooten-Perry was sworn in on December 30. L to R: Retired Montgomery County Probate Judge Rubie Nell Sanders, Jeral Oliver, JD Perry, Montgomery County Tax Commissioner Renia Wooten-Perry.
ON THE COURTHOUSE STEPS – Montgomery County District 2 Commissioner Amie Vassey was unable to attend the swearing-in ceremony on December 30, so she took her oath of office on the Montgomery County Courthouse steps on December 20.
