The conference room at the Dawsonville City Hall was recently dedicated to the memory of the late mayor, Joe Lane Cox. Cox served as mayor of Dawsonville beginning in 2003 and held that post until his death in March.

Joe Lane Cox was the only man I knew who could pick up the phone and get a state grant without completing an application, said Sammy Smith of Rainmaker & Associates, and longtime friend of Dawsonvilles late mayor.

Joe Lane was far more educated then he received credit for. He was educated about church and his community and he was so humble about what and who he knew, Smith added.

Danny Lewis, executive director of the Georgia Mountain Regional Commission (GMRC), agreed and said that Cox was a man of his word. He loved you folks, and he didnt mind telling you, said Lewis. He also loved his community and was so proud of it.

Newly appointed Dawsonville mayor James Grogan shared one of his favorite stories about Cox.

My wife said she would go into Joe Lanes office and it didnt matter who was in there, he always made a point to acknowledge her, by looking her in the eye when he spoke to her. He had a special way of making you realize how important you were to him, no matter who you were and who was around, said Grogan.

Cox was remembered for spearheading several projects in the city, including the construction of the citys sidewalks.

He loved seeing people enjoying the city as much as he did, said Grogan.

However, the sidewalk project is not complete.

We just received the paperwork from the engineers and we are preparing to extend the sidewalk project down to Howser Mill Road, said Grogan.

Sidewalks are one reminder of the many projects Cox organized to help bring a sense of community involvement to the city of Dawsonville.

The Joe Lane Cox Community Room contains many of the awards Cox received while serving as mayor of the City of Dawsonville, and serve as a reminder of the former mayors contributions and passion for the city and Dawson County.