General Motors may be looking for other investors after a top company official’s individual meetings with county commissioners last week did not yield any changed votes for county purchase of its former Doraville factory site, a commissioner said.

John Blanchard, executive director of Worldwide Real Estate for General Motors, met with commissioners after their Aug. 24 rejection of CEO Burrell Ellis’ plan to use $36 million in federal stimulus bond funds to purchase the site for use by a Florida-based developer.

District 1 Commissioner Elaine Boyer said, “From what I understand, GM would still like to find another buyer and that’s great for DeKalb County and this region.

“I am all for that as long as CEO Ellis doesn’t expect taxpayers to help foot the bill for any developer that comes along next time,” she said. “That’s not the role of government.”

The developer, New Broad Street, planned to turn the 165-acre site at the intersection of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and I-285 into a mixed-use project.

Blanchard sent a letter to commissioners stating, “I cannot over-emphasize the amount of time it takes to bring a redevelopment project of this nature to the point we’re at today.”

“Collectively, if we miss this window of opportunity, it could be several years before this vacant land is replaced by new development,” he stated.

The commission voted down the deal with a 5-2 vote on Aug. 24.

According to District 7 Commissioner Connie Stokes, “They called to talk to us about what happened and expressed their support for the deal. They’re trying to understand what happened and see if we could move forward.”

District 6 Commissioner Kathie Gannon and Ms. Stokes were the only board members in favor of the purchase.