Haralson County voters may be asked to decide whether their county government should continue to be led by a four commissioner and single chairman system or return to a sole-commissioner form of government. This is after the current board of commissioners voted 3 to 2 to ask the Georgia state legislature to put the political question on the ballot in 2019.

The suggestion to give voters the option was brought forward by current District Four Commissioner Sammy Robinson. Robinson said he believes the county has intent to hire a county administrator in 2019. Robinson claims the administrator would have the power to hire and fire and make other important decisions as they please, eliminating a need for a multi-person commission.

“I’ve decided that they are going to hire a county administrator. Take the power away from the board and the chairman. If that is the case, then why do we need a board and why do we need a chairman,” said Robinson. “I just said if that is the case, let’s just have a referendum that the people want a single commissioner you vote for it. If you want the board back, you vote for the board back.”

There are still some questions on whether or not hiring a county administrator would require a change to the county charter.

Meanwhile, Robinson suggested that the commission based form of government has not been successful in Haralson County since it was approved by voters in 2004.

“The board has done nothing but fight and argue and fuss for fourteen years. It is worse now than it has ever been.”

Robinson says a single commissioner would obviously cost tax payers less money.

But could a single commissioner handle the Haralson County government? Robinson believes so. He points to nearby Bartow County which operates under single commissioner rule. Records show Bartow has a population of around 105,00. That is about three and a half times that of Haralson County and has a budget of around $120 million. Roughly seven times that of Haralson.