Athens-Clarke County Unified Government (ACCGov) Manager Blaine Williams has named Josh Hawkins as the new Capital Projects Administrator. He will assume the role as of May 26. 

Hawkins most recently served for over a decade with Oglethorpe County, Georgia in roles including Finance Director, Technology Director, Planning Director, and County Administrator. In this position, he managed a $10 million general fund while overseeing capital projects including roadway infrastructure, E-911 systems, public safety vehicles, land acquisition, technology systems, and facility improvements. 

"I’m excited to welcome Josh to the ACCGov team as our Capital Projects Administrator," said Williams. "His professional life experiences and local government knowledge make him well-suited for this complex responsibility of coordination of capital projects programs and ultimately linking many of our departments. Our programs will benefit greatly from his forward thinking and commitment to public service."

Hawkins successfully planned four sales tax referendums in Oglethorpe County. He actively managed and executed a 2017 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) and a 2018 Transportation SPLOST (T-SPLOST) program through their completions, while a 2022 SPLOST and 2023 T-SPLOST remain ongoing. 

"I am grateful for this opportunity to serve Athens-Clarke County and its residents," said Hawkins. "I look forward to joining an already talented and cohesive management team. Collectively, we will continue to deliver capital projects with the highest level of accountability and with results that make the community proud."

Hawkins is also an Army veteran. After graduating from West Point in 2003, he served as an Army Aviation Officer and Black Hawk helicopter pilot for seven years. In the course of his service, he also held roles in aircraft maintenance, air missions, and global logistics. In addition to his Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy, Hawkins graduated with a Master of Public Administration from the University of Georgia. 

Generally, a capital project is a project designed to construct new facilities – including buildings or infrastructure - or make significant, long-term renewal improvements to existing facilities.  

The ACCGov Capital Projects Administrator position was created in 2020 to oversee and coordinate SPLOST 2020 projects and other ACCGov capital projects. The position coordinates efforts, schedules, budgets, procurement, and resident engagement while also improving communication between departments. 

Jacobs, a contracted project management company, will continue to provide program management services for SPLOST and TSPLOST projects with oversight from the Capital Projects Administrator. 

Hawkins fills the position that was vacated by the resignation of Robert Cheshire in May 2023. 

"I’d like to thank Transportation and Public Works Department Director Stephen Bailey, Chief Data Officer Joseph D’Angelo, and SPLOST Program Manager Keith Sanders for taking on additional responsibilities during this interim period to make sure that our capital project program continued to operate on schedule and with the high quality that we expect," said Williams.