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The ADVANCE, Jonuary 10, 2024/Page 4A
Koon Sworn in as Soperton Mayor
Photo by Makaylee Randolph
NEW MAYOR - John Koon is a well-known name throughout Vidalia and Toombs Coun
ty, and will now take his leadership skills to the City of Soperton, as he was recently
sworn in as the municipality's new mayor, L to R: Mayor John Koon, Debbie Koon,
Justice John J. Ellington.
Photo by Makaylee Randolph
JOINING THE COUNCIL-Soperton City Councilwoman Stephanie Blair was sworn in for
her first term on the City Council. L to R: City Councilwoman Stephanie Blair, Elizabeth
Ricks, Justice John J. Ellington.
Photo by Makaylee Randolph
SECOND TERM - Soperton City Councilwoman Misty
Brantley (left) was sworn in by Georgia Supreme Court
Justice John J, Ellington (right) on January 3.
By Makaylee Randolph
Staff Writer
mrandolphadvance@gmail.com
Citizens of Soperton
and friends of longtime
Vidalia leader John Koon
gathered at the Soperton
City Hall on Wednesday
January 3, to witness the
swearing in of new leader
ship to the city
In November, citizens
went to the polls to cast their
votes for Soperton’s new
mayor after former Mayor
Royce Fowler decided not
to run for reelection. Royce
served two terms. Former
Soperton City Councilman
Johnny Johnson and long
time Soperton citizen and
fellow former City Council
man John Koon went head-
to-head for the seat, with
Koon coming out victori
ous in a 313-201 vote.
“This is not about me;
this is about the citizens of
the City of Soperton,” Koon
remarked. “I could not have
done this without you, and
now, I guess it is time to go
to work. We are going to be
working hard to make Sop
erton a place that everyone
can be proud of, and I am
excited about it. I take this
as a very humbling experi
ence, and I know everyone
else does, too.”
Koon was sworn in by
his childhood friend and
fellow Soperton native
Georgia Supreme Court
Justice John J. Ellington,
who spoke about his excite
ment for his friend during
the ceremony. “I’ve prob
ably known John Koon
longer than anyone in this
room,” Ellington told at
tendees. “I remember when
he moved to Soperton. We
were small kids. His fam
ily moved back home to
his mother’s home place,
and when I was in the 10th
Grade, John Koon didn’t
get to school every morning
unless I picked him up be
cause I was a year older than
he was and had a driver’s li
cense. We have been great
friends for life, and this is
one of the things I’m proud
est of [for John].”
He added, “What I do
know is John Koon has a
heart for people, and we
are very proud that he is go
ing to be our mayor here in
Soperton. We know he is
going to do a great job, and
I look forward to him being
my mayor.”
Justice Ellington also
swore in Soperton City
Council member Misty
Brantley for her second
term in office represent
ing District 5, and Stepha
nie Blair for her first term
representing District 2, as
she succeeds former City
Councilman Johnny John
son. Both women qualified
unopposed for the position
and therefore did not re
quire an election.
“It’s been 25 years since
I wore a robe in this court
room; this was the first
judgeship I had, the City of
Soperton,” Justice Ellington
summarized on the experi
ence. “I started right here
in this courtroom, and I
am honored to be back to
night to do this. What we
are about here tonight is
important. It’s important
to the people of Soperton,
but truthfully, it is impor
tant because there are city
councils all over America
doing this very thing. It is
important to our system of
government.”
He continued, “What
we do in public service is
not always fun or glamor
ous. The truth is it is hard
work. It is a family affair,
and it is a big deal. Thank
each of you for what you
do, it is terribly important,
and I personally appreciate
it and know the citizens in
Soperton do, too.”
Mayor Koon and the
City Council will meet
monthly at the Soperton
City Hall, located at 1973
Martin Luther King Jr.
Drive in Soperton. Work
sessions will be held the
first Monday of each month
at 6 p.m., and the regular
monthly meetings will be
held on the third Monday
of the month at 6 p.m. Fur
ther information about the
meetings may be found on
the city’s website.
S LATXDKiA Solu,ion ’ p°9 e 14A
Fun By The
Numbers
Like puzzles?
Then you’ll love
sudoku. This
mind-bending
puzzle will have
you hooked from
the moment you
square off, so
sharpen your
pencil and put
your sudoku
savvy to the test!
Level: Intermediate
Here’s How It Works:
Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine
3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each
row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row,
column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will
appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The
more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!
2
4
9
1
5
1
7
3
8
9
8
5
3
7
1
5
2
2
1
5
9
7
0
4
Glenwood Mayor,
Council Take Oaths
in First Meeting of
New Year
By Deborah Clark
Regional Editor
dclarkadvance@gmail. com
New Glenwood Coun
cil members and the city’s
mayor were sworn in at the
Council’s first meeting of
2024 on Tuesday, January
2.
Mayor G.M. Joiner,
elected to a new term in
November 7 balloting, re
turned to his post after tak
ing the oath of office. Join
er, who has held the post of
mayor for the past 40 years
unopposed until 2023, was
challenged by Wheeler
County School teacher Ava
Bess Jones. Joiner won re-
election by the slimmest of
margins, two votes, which
was affirmed in a recount
at the Wheeler County
Board of Elections office
on the Monday following
the election.
Also being sworn in
were four incumbents and
one new Council member
who were the top five vote
getters in the November
7 election. Returning for
another four-year term are:
Cynthia Kinchen, who was
named Mayor Pro-Tern,
Eric Pearce, Billy Thigpen,
and Wesley Ray Yawn. Mat
thew Johnson, who won
the seat previously held by
Winston Powell, also took
the oath of office. Powell
did not seek reelection.
In other business the
Council heard updates on
ongoing projects to install
digital water meters, ex
tend water lines, and locate
new fire hydrants within
the city limits.
The Informed Citizens Coalition
Montgomery County
Town Hall Meeting
Thursday January 18th @ 6:00pm
Elaines Hair Styling @ 285 James St, Ailey
Located in Higgston across from City Hall
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