 He was elected as chief executive officer of Dekalb County , Georgia in 2000 , winning 64 % of the vote , and was re @-@ elected in 2004 with 54 % of the vote . Jones is the first African American to serve as CEO of the county , and the youngest ever elected in the county . In April 2001 , shortly after Jones became CEO , he voted , along with five other DeKalb County Commissioners , to offer life and health insurance benefits to the domestic partners of gay and unmarried County employees . DeKalb was the first county in Georgia to offer such benefits . During his administration , Dekalb County established the first local Homeland Security Office in 2001 . Under Jones , DeKalb County approved creation of a new senior center , increased funding for roads , libraries , and park improvements while maintaining a balanced budget , and increasing the County 's credit rating to AAA . As CEO , Jones promoted and achieved passage of a $ 125 million bond referendum that allowed for the acquisition of 2 @,@ 735 acre expansion of the DeKalb County 's green space , increasing the county 's parks and green space by 70 % . He requested and received Congressional designation of Arabia Mountain as a National Heritage Area . Jones was also primarily responsible for creation of Dekalb County ’ s first economic development department , which generated $ 4 billion in new investments . 
