David Bennett, chairman-elect of the Bulloch County Board of Commissioners, has completed his state-required three-day training, had transitional conversations with all new and continuing commissioners and with outgoing Chairman Roy Thompson, and is scheduled to be sworn-in on Dec. 30. In an interview Monday, Bennett said that he supports passage of a six-year extension of the SPLOST sales tax set for a March 18 referendum. He indicated that he wants the board to hire a professional search firm for a careful, unhurried search for a new permanent county manager but meanwhile is pleased that Interim County Manager Cindy Steinmann, previously assistant county manager, accepted the interim role. Bennett also emphasized the priority of needs such as fixing and upgrading storm-damaged county roads over ideas such as a special audit or privatizing Splash in the Boro waterpark.