The Board of County Commissioners confirmed Rodney Tomlinson as the new Road Department supervisor at a special meeting Friday morning.
Tomlinson was confirmed by a 4-0 vote. Commissioner Darrell Smith was not present.
Tomlinson was previously the County’s code enforcement officer, holding that position since April 2021.
County Administrator Bobby Crosby said the County advertised the position internally. Feeling that they had found the right man for the role, they decided not to advertise externally.
Tomlinson has 14 years of military experience, including service in the Persian Gulf War where he worked in transportation, including building roads.
:”I joked with him the other day,” Crosby said. “I told him he had international experience building roads.”
Crosby added that Tomlinson has 29 years of experience in corrections. During that time, he was over 19 prisons and 300 employees. He was also in charge of making sure the prisons stayed within their budgets.
“All in all, Mr. Tomlinson has served in administrative positions for 30-plus years,” Crosby said. “Everywhere he’s went to work, he’s worked himself up to a leadership position where it was a key leadership position.”
Crosby said that even after Tomlinson had retired and went to work at a small feed store in Tennessee to spend his time, Tomlinson worked his way up to leading the warehouse.
“I do look forwatd to the challenge,” Tomlinson said.
“We’re here to serve the community; my job is to serve the community,” Tomlinson said.
Crosby said he thinks Tomlinson will have a big and positive impact on the road department.
“I think you’re going to see a big difference in 90 days; I think you’re going to see a bigger difference in six months; and in 12 months, I think you’re going to see a huge difference,” Crosby said.
“With the addition of Mr. Tomlinson,” Crosby added, “I think you’re going to see a lot of changes and a lot of good things.”