Craig says he’s honored to be serving as new ACCG president

Published 8:12 am Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Henry R. Craig’s life in public office as a member of the Baldwin County Board of Commissioners has now taken him all the way up the ladder to president of the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia.

Craig, who is now in his 11th year serving as a county commissioner, was officially sworn into office as the new president of ACCG by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp last Saturday. The special ceremony took place at the ACCG’s annual conference held at the Savannah Convention Center.

More than 1,000 people attended the conference.

Craig recalled that the governor congratulated him on becoming the new president of the ACCG and that he looked forward to working with him in that role.

“We met two or three weeks ago in his office to talk about housing issues,” Craig said. “And over the years, he knows that I am a very persistent spokesman about mental health. In fact, at one time, I walked up to him and he looked at me and said, ‘I already know. I already heard your elevator speech about mental health.’”

Craig said he believes Kemp knows how important mental health is for the entire state, and in truth, the whole county.

“I’ve said this many times that every county in Georgia has a moral problem in how we deal with mental health and we have a financial problem in how we deal with mental health, “ said Craig, who was accompanied to the ACCG conference by his wife, Celia, as well as members of the Baldwin County Board of Commissioners and other county government officials. “And all too often, it becomes a public safety problem because we didn’t take care of the other two problems.”

Craig said the state and country are desperate to find solutions that will improve mental illness problems.

“And we’re desperate for better policy and we’re desperate for better resources,” Craig said.

Reaching the presidency of the ACCG is a four-year process where Craig previously served as vice-president.

“In all of those years, you accept more and more responsibilities and get more exposed to the issues related to the ACCG,” Craig said.

The organization consists of about 800 county commissioners from the 159 counties across the Peach State.

“Then there are thousands of county employees that also use the association,” Craig told The Union-Recorder during an interview after being sworn into office.

During his tenure as a commissioner in Baldwin County, Craig said he has enjoyed trying to make the county a better place for all to call home and to work,

“I’ve tried hard over the years to represent all of the citizens of Baldwin County, and you’ve seen the body posture of the board sometimes, and we don’t always agree, but I’ve always tried to make decisions based on all the county interests of residents rather than one segment of the community over another,” Craig said. 

Since being sworn into office as the newest president of the ACCG, Craig has been even more busier than he in the past. Craig said he has multiple meetings scheduled from now through June concerning policy and financial issues.

“It’s not well-known, but the ACCG is a multi-billion dollar operation in that we have our association that supports counties, and within that activity, we have a staff that is available to help counties with unique issues,” Craig said. “They’ll get on the telephone or drive to those counties to offer help. And we have another organization that is interested in what the legislature is doing, and that is a 365-day a year job.”

Then there’s always an assortment of committee meetings going on, he added.

“Our staff is involved in all of these things,” Craig said. “And further, we have a multi-insurance operation – all kinds of insurance, as well as a retirement operation.”

He said about 250 people work under the umbrella of the ACCG.

Craig was asked what the No. 1 issue was that he hopes to accomplish during the year as the new president of the ACCG.

“As part of my speech, I stated to the association exactly where I’m heading,” Craig said. “My No. 1 interest is to move the ball on mental health. Every city and every county in Georgia has issues when it comes to mental health. These issues need to be improved upon. It’s about policy and it’s about resources.”

He said he already has selected the chairman of a new committee within ACCG to put together the best practices for rural counties and for urban counties when it comes to mental health.

“My goal is to have something documented by the end of the year that every county in Georgia can go to for possible solutions to improve mental health in their community,” Craig said.

Mental health is close and dear to Craig’s heart because his father, the late James B. Craig, served as superintendent of Central State Hospital in Milledgeville. His dad served in that capacity between seven and eight years.

“He was the last doctor/superintendent of Central State Hospital,” Craig said. “After that, they started decentralizing mental health care here in the state.”

From 1972 until 1974, Central State Hospital was known as the largest mental institution in the world.

Craig has many memories about CSH.

Craig recalled from 1966 until 1968, he served as a ward attendant at the hospital at night while he attended day classes at Georgia Military College.

From 1961 until 1965, he actually lived on the hospital grounds.    

For more information about the ACCG, go to www.accg.org.