Now that the joint appointment to the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority finally has been decided, and Jerry Jennett has been confirmed to fill the vacant seat on the five-member board, it’s time for the Authority to get down to business.

At its next meeting on Aug. 17, the Authority will vote for a new chairman. The board has been without a chairman since Jerome Tucker resigned to run for the Lowndes County Commission Chairman seat in the spring. Martin Miller, the vice chairman, has filled the role for several months.

While the Authority has a good reputation for assisting companies that express an interest in locating to Lowndes County, managing the seven industrial parks well, and helping existing industries expand, we believe it could do much more in the area of recruitment.

With the new metropolitan designation attracting attention to the area, Valdosta and Lowndes County are in the enviable position of being able to recruit bigger, better and more desirable industries that can bring in better paying jobs.

Community leaders say they want to keep more Valdosta State University graduates, as well as local high school graduates, in the community. Leaders want to raise the standard of living, which comes on the heels of better wages, and want to compete with larger metro areas such as Columbus, Macon and Savannah.

To do that, entities such as the Industrial Authority have got to be more proactive and less reactive. The Authority needs an active Board and an even more active chairman to spark recruitment efforts and to take the community to a higher level of economic development.

Tuesday, the Authority has the chance to elect a leader who will bring energy and enthusiasm to the recruitment process — someone with a proven track record of community service who will serve as our ambassador in meeting industry prospects.

Both Miller and Carolyn Eager have served in a leadership role on the board during their tenures. Jennett is too new to step into that role, so that leaves Crawford Powell and John Peeples.

Both men have served for more than a year on the board, both are enthusiastic about their work with the Authority, and both should have more responsibility and leadership roles. However, we believe that based on his community involvement and commitment, Powell should be the next chairman of the Authority.

We urge the board to carefully consider its selection and choose wisely. But from where we sit, the choice is clear.