About The Forest-blade. (Swainsboro, Ga.) 1996-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 25, 2021)
2A The Forest-Blade • www.EmannelConntyLive.com • Swainsboro, Georgia • August 25, 2021 Meet the candidates (From front page) today? How ivould you go about attracting more industry and retail to Swainsboro? A: Yes, I am aware of this. My first thought is has there been a conversation held between the local businesses and the city of Swainsboro as to some sort of strate gy to offer incentives. Again, it all starts with conversation and communication. We have to work together. We have to think outside of the box. It would be best for me if I found out what the needs were. And then, we create a plan to strategically go out and help them get these jobs filled. Also, Swainsboro is job-motivated. Yes, we need to get those jobs filled but we also have to be motivated in creative leadership positions. There's a conversa tion that needs to be had. They need to feel like the city and county are invested in helping them, do everything possible, to get these jobs filled because we need them to stay here. We have to keep our legacy and our peo ple in our forefront. We can't just treat the businesses like busi nesses, they're family. You have to meet the people where they are. We've got to do more. Q: It's been said that the city could save money by not hiring outside companies for water and server operations. Do you have any data or factu al information to prove that? A: I don't know because I don't know what the numbers are. Being that I don't know, I would hate to make a comment on that without knowing what those numbers. The bidding process es isn't processed as it should be. We've got to be better at inform ing our city. Q The city recently hired a code enforcement officer to handle the prob lem of abandoned cars and houses. What more do you think can be done when property owners won't clean up them selves? A: Again, commu nication, transparen cy and accountabili ty. Residents should informed of the situa tion and consequenc es. The city should also offer resolutions and options on how to resolve issues, wheth er it be selling or put ting old property to good use. Residents should be given a peri od of time to respond, and if the issue isn't addressed after these efforts are made, then property owners should be forced to tear down or remove property or allow the city to perform the task instead. Charles S c h w a b e , incumbent mayor for city of Swainsboro Candidacy Mayor - Swainsboro Q: Have you ever served in public office before? A: Yes I have served as Mayor for 4 terms. Q: What do think is the most difficult part of be ing Mayor? A: The most diffi cult part is bringing people with different ideas and different objectives together to do what is best for the City. Many times people with their own agendas have trouble compromising and seeing the larger pic ture. Q: How do you see your business experience help ing you serve as Mayor? A: Naturally, it has given me years of deal ing with the public and understanding the importance of just lis tening to other folks. Also, it gives you a clear idea of how to get things done. But, let me be clear, run ning your own busi ness and running a governmental system are not anywhere near the same thing. You can't just give orders to other elected offi cials like you might to your employees. Q: Do you think it's fair that people in Swainsboro have to pay county taxes as well as city? A: I understand that's the way the sys tem works, but I think it's time for the legis lation to be re-worked so that a more realistic and fairer equation is enacted to lessen the burden on city resi dents. Q: How ivould you go about attracting more industry and retail to Swainsboro? A: Industrial recruit ment is one of the toughest things any city faces. But it is essential and it is ex pensive. I served on the Joint Development Authority for 23 years. During that time, we recruited more than 12 major industries that brought over 800 jobs to Emanuel County. It is tough work, and you have to grind it out every day to be suc cessful, and there are no magic solutions. You do the marketing, the personal contact, traveling thousands of miles knocking on doors. Then, you work on preparing your area in terms of infrastruc ture, education, med ical capability and all the other things that prospective employers look at. We have been successful in the past, and I think you just constantly refine your efforts and keep work ing. As far as retail re cruitment, the City Of Swainsboro has al ways provided incen tives and other forms of support to encour age private enterprise and to assist with both new businesses and those already estab lished. Many of the businesses that have opened in Swains boro in the last several years are here because of the City's help. I am very honored that I have been able to be involved with the City's growth this way. Q: Are you aware that there are over 250 jobs that are unfilled in Swainsboro today? A: Actually, I think there are more than that. If we can't fill the jobs that are available here now, the jobs will go away. A growing economy has to have a prepared labor pool. The Covid virus has created a real problem with that. If we are to get back to normal, we have got to get folks back to work. Q: Could the City save money by not hiring out side companies for water and sewer operations? Do you have data or fac tual information to prove that? A: As Mayor, I per sonally have compiled the information on this issue. In multiple comparisons, the hard facts and real studies show that there would be little to no savings for the City to hire, completely staff, and equip our own water and wastewater de partment. In some cas es, the studies clearly showed that it would cost more to take the water/sewer back un der City management. Q: The City recently hired a code enforcement officer to handle the prob lem of abandoned cars and houses. What more do you think can be done when property owners won't clean up them selves? A: The new program of code enforcement has been a significant help with this prob lem. As with any en forcement, some folks have not liked it. It's pretty simple, if this is what the citizens want, then it has to be supported and paid for. The outward ap pearance of our town is a huge factor in how we feel and how oth ers who travel through see our town. I intend to continue the pro gram and expand the enforcement, especial ly on derelict houses. Q: You have qualified to run as Mayor. A require ment is that you live in Swainsboro. Do you live in Swainsboro? A: I have lived in Swainsboro my en tire life. My address is 511 Kite Road. No questions, no excuses. I have gone to school, worked, run a busi ness, paid taxes and raised a family right here in Swainsboro. I Shop oor Aowtoow right from, your home ©a Saturdays at tbOO §* FURNITURE • FLOOR COVERING CO. 104 West Pine St., Swainsboro GA • 237-6483 SMITH'S CANOOCHEE COUNTRY STORE MENU 2559 CANOOCHEE-GARFIELD RD, TWIN CITY PHONE: 478.289.7221 Cooking hours: Mon, Tues, & Wed - 5am to 7pm • Thurs, Fri, & Sat - 5am to 8pm CHICKEN TENDERS W/FRIES *add $.99 FOR DRINK 2 TENDERS $4.99 3 TENDERS $6.99 6 TENDERS $10.99 EXTRATENDERS..$2.29 EA. 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EXTRA SOUR CREAM...$.75 EA. *ADD-ONS* BACON....$.75 JALAPENOS....$.50 CHEESE....$.50 WRAP....$1.00 Breakfast sandwiches and biscuits served daily, along with full breakfast COFFEE....SM...$.99....LGE....$1.59 FOUNTAIN DRINKS....20 OZ....$1,99....32 OZ...$2.49 SANDWICHES W/FRIES *add $.99 FOR DRINK BLT $4.59 W/FF....$6.39 HOT HAM & CHEESE...$4.99 W/FF....$6.79 CHICKEN SANDWICH....$4.59 W/FF....$6.39 BBQUE SANDWICH $4.99 W/FF....$6.79 The Forest-Blade The Forest-Blade is pub lished weekly by Eman uel County Newspapers, Inc., 416 W. Moring Street, Swainsboro, GA. $1.00 per copy, $38 per year in-county and $49 per year out-of-county. POSTMASTER: Send POD Form 3579 to Eman uel County Newspapers, Inc., P.O. Box 938, Swains boro, GA 30401. Telephone 478.237.9971. Periodical Postage paid at Swainsboro, GA 30401. (USPS 204-840) CYAN-AOOO MAGENTA-OAOO BLACK 012908
