State Rep. Mark Hamilton of Cumming has been tapped to serve on the Jekyll Island State Park Authority Oversight Committee.

As one of three House representatives serving on the panel alongside three senators, Hamilton will be responsible for reviewing the park authority’s annual financial information.

Hamilton, a Republican who represents District 23, said he was honored to be appointed by Speaker of the House David Ralston and looks “forward to serving on the committee for the next two years.”

“With the rapidly growing planned development on Jekyll Island, I hope to bring my conservative and stable perspective to this challenging opportunity and I look forward to working with my committee colleagues as well as the authority members and others that are involved,” he said.

State law mandates the beach areas on Jekyll, one of Georgia’s largest stretches of barrier island property, remain free and open for public use.

The authority serves as trustees for the island, keeping records of income and expenses, which are handed over annually to the oversight committee.

Development on the island has been disputed in the past. While Hamilton is familiar with the issues, “being from a different region allows me to bring a neutral point of view as we move forward in a process that has been politically and emotionally charged over the recent years.”