R.J. Hadley is perhaps way ahead of local and national municipal officials as he sets-a-pace… for the future of servicing electronic cars in suburban Rockdale County Georgia just 25 miles from the “world-class” City of Atlanta.
According to the On Common Ground Newspaper a staple news organization for the metro Atlanta area…
Photos courtesy of Joshua Smith and the On Common Ground News
At six-foot-five, Rockdale Tax Commissioner RJ Hadley has no problem getting in and out of his 2015 Kia Soul Electric Vehicle (EV). Hadley says he loves the car, which gives him what he calls “energy independence.”
“We are using our energy, instead of relying on a foreign source and I like that. As an EV owner, you pay a $200 tag fee each year but you get a free decal that allows you to ride in both, the Peach Pass and HOV lanes. You also get a $7,500 federal tax credit,” said Hadley. “We’ve even driven the Kia all the way to Boston. Myself, my wife, three daughters and the dog all got in with our luggage with no gas needed, just charger stations through the trip. Most places across the country are free to charge.”
Hadley and other Rockdale officials held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Aug. 26 outside his office for the county’s new Electric Vehicle charging station. The new charging station puts Rockdale, one of Georgia’s smallest counties, on the map with other metro Atlanta counties such as DeKalb, Cobb and Fulton counties.
Those who have electric vehicles can charge up for free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week at the Rockdale station, located behind the Tax Commissioners’ office at 969 Pine St., Conyers. The Level 2 station provides 20 miles per hour of charge. The county pays for the electricity as part of its other electric bills.
“Part of our responsibility here is making sure people do their yearly emissions test as part of the Clean Air Georgia effort so when we heard about the opportunity to have an electric charger in Rockdale, we knew we wanted it because it supports our mission,” said Hadley. “The more electric vehicles we can get on the road, that’s less smog and exhaust that we put in the air.”
W CALVIN ANDERSON, M.Ed 