What is the term of office for the Mayor?
All City elected officials serve a 4 year term. I was elected in November 2007 and began my term in January 2008.
Are there term limits?
There are no term limits for any City elected officials.
Does the Mayor get to vote on issues placed before the City Council?
No. The Mayor only gets to vote in the case of a 3 to 3 tie among the Council members.
Are you a Republican or Democrat?
All elected officials in the City are non-partisan positions.
What does a Mayor do?
My duties range from official to ceremonial. While I do not get to vote on Council issues, my job is to provide overall leadership and strategic direction in making policies and ordinances to protect and ensure the safety, health, and well being of all of our citizens. These policies are carried out on a day-to-day basis by the fine work of our City Manager and his staff of police, fire, and public works employees.
The official work of the Mayor’s office is more complicated than some other cities because Covington is the utility provider for electricity and natural gas. We provide these services well beyond the city limits and essentially serve the entire eastern part of Newton County and parts of Walton County. Decisions surrounding utilities are complicated and extremely long reaching. For example, the recent decision and vote by the Council to invest in 2 new Plant Vogtle nuclear reactors is a $168 million investment with a 50 year life beginning in the year 2017. This decision will serve not only today’s citizens of Covington, but those in the next generations to come.
The ceremonial portion of my job is always fun and uplifting. Often, I deliver proclamations for various individuals, civic groups, and non-profit organizations. I am also asked quite often to make talks and speeches at group functions. One of my favorite ceremonial duties involves children. I am asked to read to elementary school students and be a part of school projects. I always try to be a good role model and encourage students to do their very best.
Why must I use the City of Covington utilities? Why don’t I have a choice?
Utility services in our area are not completely deregulated. Only large electric users who have loads that exceed 900 KW are allowed to select their providers and it is a one-time selection. They are not allowed to swap back and forth among providers. These regulations as well as provider territories for gas and electricity systems are approved and enforced by the Georgia Public Service Commission.
What is the Mayor’s salary?
$12,000 per year
Why did you want to be Mayor?
The short answer is that I want to make a difference. I have always been involved community activities and volunteer positions. I believe that we should all strive to leave our community better than we found it. Politics is about getting elected; but being Mayor is about leadership, vision, and people working hard together towards common goals. Our City has grown so rapidly that I feel I have the business skill set and the heart-felt compassion to lead our City forward.
Having said that, everyone must realize that the Mayor is only one part of a very large team. We all work together as elected officials, City employees, citizen volunteers, and community activists. It takes all of us to make our community special.
What do you consider your major accomplishment as Mayor during your short 16 months in office?
That’s a tough question. If I had to pick one, it would be the adoption of our Urban Redevelopment Plan with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. This Plan is the first step, in a long series of actions, to address poverty and the housing blight affecting many of our city’s residents.
This plan is governed by the State’s Urban Redevelopment Act that was created in 1955. Covington’s Urban Redevelopment Plan will allow us to have access to Federal and State funding to address both housing and business redevelopment. It is a powerful tool to rehabilitate older homes and neighborhoods, recruit and nurture small businesses, revitalize faltering commercial corridors, and attract private investment to our community.
When I ran for Mayor, one of my campaign platforms was to address poverty in our community.
We must address poverty as a city for two reasons. First, and foremost, we have a moral principle in this country that all people are created equal and have the same rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. You can draw your motivation from your religion, your upbringing, or your basic sense of decency. But, caring for others is a prerequisite for calling ourselves a community. Second, to achieve the kind of balanced growth and economic development, we need economic demographics that make quality retail and commercial businesses want to come here. By the 2005 census estimate, the $33,564/year median household income for Covington trails metropolitan Atlanta ($59,127/year) by 67%. And, 25% of our residents live below the poverty level. We must change that.
The Urban Redevelopment Plan is the first of many steps towards addressing poverty in our community.