Gwinnett Daily Post

STONE MOUNTAIN -- Jim Brooks participated in his first meeting back as executive director of the Evermore Community Improvement District Thursday, saying he's up to speed and ready to go.

Brooks was rehired by the CID at the start of this month, a year after a split board couldn't decide whether or not he had earned a new contract. The indecision ultimately resulted in all but two board members resigning, leaving the Stone Mountain-based organization in disarray.

On Thursday, Brooks was back and it was business as usual.

"Obviously we are getting the projects and I'm getting up to speed on what the projects are, looking at issues and opportunities that the CID has and capitalizing on those very quickly," Brooks said. "We're working with every one of our partners from a U.S. Representative all the way down to Gwinnett County."

Brooks addressed several road projects in his executive report, laying out what he called a "fairly substantial" work plan. Despite the past, his fellow board members seemed to be on board with his work so far.

"I'd like to commend him for the amount of ground he's covered in the four weeks he's been back with us," board member Kenny King said. "I often quip that the term executive director is a derivative of the word execute, and that's what Jim does."

Added chairman Chip Adair: "He's really come in here and gotten to work."