Newspaper Page Text
The ADVANCE, Morch 3, 2021/Page 4A
(Eift Aiiuancg
Candidates
continued from page 1A
Gregory Johnson. He
stepped down to seek the
Vidalia Mayor’s post in No
vember 3 balloting and was
defeated by Doug Roper.
Voting will be held at
the Vidalia Municipal Com
plex from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Early voting, which began
on February 22, will con
tinue until March 12, Mon-
day-Friday, 8:30 a.m. until 5
p.m. Voters are reminded to
bring a photo ID.
As a public service,
The Advance is publishing
questionnaires and profiles
submitted by the two candi
dates, which follow.
Carmela
Spikes-Williams
1. Personal Profile
List your education, fam
ily, career, affiliations, etc.
I have been married
to Troy Williams for 17.5
years. Troy and I have seven
children (Kimberly, Chris
topher, Jasmin, Akeyla,
Kaleya, Jacques and Car
men) and five grandchildren
(Sedrick, Jr., Shamar, Jr., Kali
Grace, Madelyn, Amyrah).
I am the co-owner of
TC Williams Enterprises
LLC where I work full-time
as a Leadership Trainer and
Business Coach. I am also
the cofounder of Becoming
One Outreach Ministries,
Inc., where I serve as Pastor.
I am a 1994 Honor
Graduate of Toombs Coun
ty High School and a 1999
Honor Graduate of South
eastern Technical College.
I was also the first African-
American GOAL winner
at Southeastern Technical
College where I served as an
advocate for Technical Edu
cation.
I worked at Vidalia City
Schools for almost 10 years
in payroll and bookkeeping.
I worked at Brewton-Parker
College for two years as the
Human Resources Director.
I understand confidentiality,
the importance of accurate
planning and adhering to lo
cal and state policies. One of
my biggest takeaways from
my professional career is to
welcome checks and bal
ances that include internal
audits and a proper separa
tion of duties. These skills
will serve me well as City
Councilwoman.
Most recently I served
as Action Pact’s County Co
ordinator for the Vidalia’s
Senior Citizen Center. This
position allowed me to see
and understand the needs of
our senior citizens, ensuring
that they have hot meals and
resources to help with their
utilities. When COVID-19
hit our nation, we began the
process of virtual communi
cation to ensure our seniors
had a personal contact each
day.
I am a full-time en
trepreneur and serve as a
leadership trainer for cor
porations and as an interna
tional small business coach.
As a result of our coaching,
clients master their prices,
maximize their time and
clarify their message. As
a result of our leadership
training, leaders empower
others and create a culture
for growth and increased
productivity.
Honors and Awards
2016 Nominee for the
3rd Annual Roslyn S. Jaffe
Award
2016 Nominee for
Leadership Georgia
2016 Graduate of Geor
gia’s Academy for Economic
Development
2015 certified through
John Maxwell’s Leadership
Program as a speaker, trainer
and coach
2015 Hometown Hero
nominee through North
land Cable
2007/2008 Toombs-
Montgomery Leadership
Graduate
1999 Georgia Occupa
tional Award of Leadership
(GOAL) representative
for Southeastern Technical
College, Vidalia.
A Local ambassador
for Technical Education
and spoke at various venues
promoting Technical Edu
cation.
Committees
and Activities
Member of Toombs-
Montgomery Chamber of
Commerce
2017/2018 - Coach
for Toombs-Montgomery
Leadership Program
2018/2019 - Coach
for Toombs-Montgomery
Leadership Program
2017-2019 - Presi
dent’s Advisory Council
Member with The John
Maxwell Team
2013-2018 - Founder
and Executive Director of
Area Resource Center, Inc.
2010-2013 Sponsor
and Chaperone for Vidalia
High School Flagline
2010-2012 United Way
representative for Vidalia
High School
2007/2008 Diplomat
for Downtown Vidalia As
sociation
2007/2008 Board
Member for Tri-Crest En
trepreneur Support Team,
Vidalia
Graduate of the inaugu
ral class of “Achieving Maxi
mum Marketing” provided
by Tri-Crest and Georgia’s
Small Business Develop
ment Center
Guest speaker at the
May 2007 graduating class
of “Achieving Maximum
Marketing”
Guest speaker at Geor
gia Music Hall of Fame,
Macon, to aid in the imple
mentation of a statewide
program for “Achieving
Maximum Marketing.”
2. Purpose and
Qualifications
Explain why you are
seeking this office and
what skills and/or exper
tise qualify you to hold
this office.
I have been a commu
nity organizer for over 16
years and the City Council
is the next logical step for
me to be at the forefront
when making decisions
that affect the people of Vi
dalia. During this time, we
have served the families of
our region through back-
to-school events, mentor
ing programs, scholarships,
women’s empowerment ses
sions, single mom parent
ing classes and collaborated
with various organizations
to serve the needs of the
people. We have distributed
11 scholarships highlighting
the effects of domestic vio
lence on the entire family.
We will distribute two more
scholarships this year to the
High School Class of 2021.
We have helped hundreds
of newborns by distributing
pampers and wipes through
our Baby Closet. We have
mentored over 15 single
moms on setting their career
and educational goals. Many
of them have reached and
exceeded those goals.
Listening to the needs
of the people, creating ef
fective solutions and getting
results is what I have done
at a grassroots level for over
16 years. This role on the
City Council is the role for
the people. It is where I can
hear their concerns and en
sure they are represented.
It is the place where our
most vulnerable population
must also be represented.
We must have a voice for
those with mental health is
sues. We must have a voice
for our senior citizens. We
must have a voice for those
trying to make a better life
for themselves whether in a
career or as an entrepreneur.
I can be that voice for the
people and I have been that
voice on many occasions.
3. Goals and Objectives
List three specific
goals that you want to
accomplish while in of
fice and explain how you
would achieve these goals.
My ultimate goal is to
continue to represent the
people.
1. Quarterly Newslet
ter -1 will establish a virtual
way to communicate with
the residents of Ward 2. My
constituents should know
that I am available but also
that I am proactive. I will
ensure that information re
garding our ward is distrib
uted quickly and efficiently
to the residents.
2. I will implement an
Annual Ward 2 Town Hall
for the constituents to get
an in-person update on our
ward and a place for me to
hear their concerns.
3.1 will advocate for ex
pansive educational oppor
tunities, greater resources
for businesses and address
ing the needs of our most
vulnerable population.
I am looking forward
to connecting with the resi
dents of Ward 2. I hope to
get your vote in the Spe
cial Election on March 16„
2021. More information is
at www.linktr.ee/carmel-
awilliams.
ACC
continued from page 1A
Hall. There have been
three applicants thus far,
but the Council is hoping
for an additional volun
teer to serve. Applications
are available at City Hall.
The committee will meet
weekly or biweekly to de
velop a plan of action as to
how City Hall’s structural
problems can best be re
solved. The first meeting,
a walk-through assessment
of City Hall, will be held in
the next two weeks.
Councilman Thomas
Lott proposed the develop
ment of a sports bar in the
city. However, since Alamo
is a “dry city,” support from
at least 35% of the city’s
population is required, and
only beer and wine could
be served. The topic has
been “tabled” as legal steps
for developing a potential
referendum are being con
sidered.
Efforts to “beautify”
the city continue as the
Wheeler County Correc
tional facility is donating
all the flowers and plants
that will be used by the
City Landscaping Com
mittee. In the last week,
flowers have been planted
around City Hall.
In January, Officer
Ken Patel expressed be
fore the council the police
department’s dire need for
an additional “full-time
employee and a part-time
employee.” In Monday’s
meeting, the Council inter
viewed and hired two part-
time police officers. With
the resignation of the Chief
of Police Roger Bryant, the
Council will also be seek
ing his replacement.
In other updates, a
fence around the recre
ation department’s new
basketball court is current
ly under construction.
Jennifer Evans
1. Personal Profile
List your education, fam
ily, career, affiliations,
etc.
I am a proud 1991
graduate of Vidalia High
School and a 1995 gradu
ate of Georgia College and
State University. After re
turning home from college,
I became the owner of a
local favorite, Brown’s Jew
elry. In 2003,1 began work
ing for Dot Foods as the
human resources manager
and am currently work
ing in operations as Trans
portation Manager. With
a wide array of leadership
skills, I successfully imple
mented the #1 corporate
initiative for managing
healthcare costs, the third
largest expense of the com
pany. Companywide I’ve
led the research and imple
mentation for four (GA,
IN, ID and IL) on-site
health centers in addition
to budgeting, recruitment,
workers’ compensation
management, training and
development, and benefits.
On a local level, I have
been blessed with the op
portunity to serve my
community on the follow
ing boards: United Way,
Toombs-Montgomery
Chamber of Commerce,
Downtown Vidalia Associ
ation, and Vidalia Conven
tion and Visitors Bureau.
On the state-level, I cur
rently serve as the 2020-
2021 Chair of Leadership
Georgia, where I lead ef
forts to propel Georgia
forward in its leadership
development during this
time of uncertainty. I have
the privilege of working
alongside and supporting
4,500+ leaders throughout
the state of Georgia.
I am a graduate of the
2000 Leadership Toombs-
Montgomery Class and a
graduate of the 2011 Lead
ership Georgia class. I have
also served as a Leadership
Toombs-Montgomery
leadership coach. In 2012,
I was invited to be a Lead
ership Georgia Program
Chair by the 2012 presi
dent. Shortly thereafter, I
was asked to serve on the
2013-2015 Leadership
Georgia Board, serving as
the Alumni Chairwoman.
In 2018, I was invited to
serve a second term on the
Executive Board, which
led to me becoming the
2019 Leadership Georgia
President. I am the first
president from the Vidalia
area, and the first female
to serve in this capacity
for Region 9. Leadership
Georgia and Leadership
Toombs-Montgomery
have equipped me well as I
have learned first-hand the
value of unified teamwork
coupled with diverse lead
ership.
This March, I will have
been married to my hus
band, Lee, for 21 years. We
have two teenagers, Rebec
ca (15) and Chamlee (14),
and are members of Vida
lia First United Methodist
Church.
2. Purpose and
Qualifications
Explain why you are
seeking this office and
what skills and/or exper
tise qualify you to hold
this office.
I truly love the City
of Vidalia ... it is home to
me. I want to see Vidalia
continue to grow, thrive,
and succeed in every area
of community develop
ment. We have wonderful
leadership in our city, and
I would like to be a part of
the solution of keeping Vi
dalia moving forward. My
18 years of experience at
Dot Foods have equipped
me well to be a valuable
asset to the current City
Council. The greatest asset
of any company is its peo
ple . . . the same is true of
Vidalia. I have been blessed
with years of experience
in managing and working
with a diverse group of
employees ... people from
every background and
walk of life. Consensus and
unity matter, and I seek to
listen and truly learn from
others before decisions are
made.
3. Goals and Objectives
List three specific
goals that you want to
accomplish while in of
fice and explain how
you would achieve these
goals.
GROWTH. SAFETY.
EFFICIENCY.
The first goal I have is
to GROW our economy in
Vidalia by making the City
of Vidalia a place where
companies desire to locate
and establish roots within
our community due to the
ease and flexibility offered
by Vidalia. By keeping our
tax rate low, Vidalia will ec
onomically propel forward
as it becomes attractive to
prospective businesses and
thereby build and strength
en the local infrastructure
through economic expan
sion without comprising
our small-town charm.
My second goal is en
suring continued public
SAFETY. Everyone should
be able to feel safe in their
own home and through
out the community we live
and work in. The safety of
Vidalians is of upmost im
portance as well as ensur
ing each city department
has the resources necessary
to get their job done effec
tively.
My third goal is EF-
FECIENCY in local gov
ernment operations. It is
important to be a good
steward of the resources
entrusted to you. City
Council positions are no
exception. It is crucial to
perform local government
operations with effective
ness and efficiency in all
areas including but not
limited to planning and
providing services and fa
cilities for Vidalia and its
citizens while working to
gether to ensure peace, or
der and good governance
of local departments.
In summary, my goals
of growth, safety and ef
ficiency will ensure the
overall quality of life for
the people and businesses
ofVidalia continue to pros
per.
SINK OR FLOAT? — Miss Hammons'
class at Wheeler County Elementa
ry School learned about the scien
tific method during their experiment
with candy conversation hearts.
Students gathered materials and
made hypotheses about whether
the candy hearts would sink or float
in different liquids, Students then
performed an experiment and re
corded their observations.
Front Row: Ivy Bales, Malik Wilcox, Braylen Jordan, Kristopher Davis, Haylee Stroud,
Eli Miller, Joselyn Williams, Back Row: Maci Henry, Queen Miller, Kellen Horne, Kaleb
Carey.