Georgia Parole Review file Issue 03/Summer 2016 | Page 6

barnard,

mills lead parole

The Board Members are Braxton Cotton, a former State Trooper and CJCC Director, Brian Owens, former Corrections Commissioner, Chairman Terry Barnard, a former legislator and a career in banking and finance, Vice Chairman James Mills, a former legislator and a businessman and Jacqueline Bunn, an attorney and former CJCC Director.

erry E. Barnard was re-elected chairman of the Parole Board for Fiscal Year 2017. Barnard began serving his third consecutive one-year term on July 1, 2016.

Vice Chairman James Mills was re-elected and will continue to serve in this role for a third consecutive term. It is the first time in more than a decade that a member has served more than two consecutive terms in a leadership position.

“Thank you for your confidence,” Chairman Barnard stated upon being re-elected.

Barnard’s re-election as chairman marks the first time that a chairman has been elected to more than two consecutive one-year terms since Milton “Buddy” Nix Jr., served four years from 2002-2006.

Vice Chairman James Mills in nominating Barnard noted his “excellent” leadership over the past two years.

“The last couple of years, we’ve seen a lot of transition. He’s provided that necessary leadership,” stated Mills. “It has been no easy task to be chairman. Yet he has done that in an excellent way and I just think it would serve this board well and this agency well for you to continue to be our chairman this coming year.”

Chairman Barnard has guided the Parole Board through a period of transition that has included the move of parole supervision to the Department of Community Supervision and other legislative changes. Under his leadership, the board has also adopted policy changes that have improved the agency’s functions and the parole decision making process.

“I want to thank our parole staff for their dedication and hard work that has led us through this period of transition,” Barnard said. “Together the Board and staff have created a stronger board and agency, to ensure public safety through careful, data-driven parole decisions. We will continue on that path,” added Barnard.

Barnard says the board continues to engage community stakeholders and criminal justice partners in what is a public parole process in order that the best possible parole decisions are the outcome.

In addition at today’s meeting, it was announced that Board Member Albert Murray will retire effective July 1, 2016. Murray was appointed to the board by Governor Sonny Perdue in May of 2010. He served two years as vice chairman, followed by two years as chairman. Murray’s career has spanned 40 years in four states. He previously served as Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) and remains the longest serving DJJ Commissioner in the state’s history.

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State Board of Pardons and Paroles

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