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www.starnewsgaonline.com StariMews October 15, 2023 Page 11
Leslie McPherson: active, vocal council member now running for Mayor of Villa Rica
Council member for Ward 3 resigned post in August to run for mayor citing a “power hungry mayor” who is “working outside the city charter”
story by Wayne J. Reynolds
On August 22, 2023, Villa Rica City Council
Member Leslie McPherson announced she was
running for the position of mayor in the
upcoming November 7th Election. That day,
she also resigned her seat representing Ward 3.
“By law I had to resign my seat,” McPherson
said. She was elected to a four-year term on the
city council that began January 2014.
“I am running for mayor,” McPherson
declared, “because we currently have a power-
hungry mayor who is working outside the city
charter. The mayor and council are not to be
involved in the day to day running of the city.
We have a city manager style of government
and the city manager runs the day-to-day
operation.
“Furthermore, “ she averred, “the council
members are kept from receiving, or are receiv
ing altered, information from the current
mayor. We must have a mayor who works
legally within the city charter parameters.”
McPherson stated that, as council member,
she supported the Fuqua Project. “The new
road will connect the east and west sides of the
city. It will benefit the residents on Cleghom
and open up access for them. I have met with
the residents who are worried about protecting
their historic homes as well. It will provide
walkability, availability, and access to down
town which will benefit the downtown
businesses.”
Leslie said she advocates and will fight for
small businesses which she believes are the
backbone of the city. As for growth, she under
stands the concept of “we will grow out of the
problem” to spread the costs.
“But explosive growth never works well. I
support the rights of a property owner to do
what they want with their property. But when
there are zoning requests,
we must balance the rights
of the property owner with
the impact of our commu
nity and its quality of life.
“We need to think about
what kind of place this will
be in ten years and what
we want. Do we want the
problems that a nearby city
has? I don’t think so!”
As representative of
Ward 3, McPherson advocated lor keeping an
eye on our property tax and said that, as mayor,
she will continue to do just that.
“Our current mayor has advocated for rais
ing property taxes even in the middle of the
pandemic! I have been consistent about lower
rates.”
The most important issue The City of Villa
Rica faces today, according to McPherson, is
water independence.
“It is a problem we have been working on.
We need to be independent of those we are
buying water from, but it is an ongoing proc
ess. We are pioneering a new process that we
hope to get approved by the stare and the EPA
[Environmental Protection Agency], But we
will and must continue to explore all options
and opportunities.”
Leslie and her husband Mike moved to Villa
Rica permanently in 2009 from Defray Beach,
Florida. She is part of four generations of her
family who live in Villa Rica, including her 94
year old mother. She and Mike have raised
three children. While raising children, sLeslie
worked in a variety of capacities in the local
school system including substi
tute teacher and teacher’s assis
tant. She holds an associate’s
degree in business.
She has participated in jail
ministry in both Florida and
Georgia, is involved with the
local Pregnancy Crisis Center,
and is a member of Golden
City Lions Club and Midway
Church.
“Over the past 15 years, I
took myself ‘back to school’,” she said, “stud
ying the United States Constitution and The
Bill of Rights, discovering the rights we have
given up and what we need to do to get back on
track.”
When the community opened up after covid,
and public gatherings resumed, she and Carroll
County Commissioner Clint Chance founded
The Guardians of Liberty, a non-partisan, pro-
America group that hosts informal sessions for
citizens to learn more about their government
and how it affects their daily lives locally.
“We want people to participate and get
involved in our government in both the school
boards, and city and county governments.
“When I joined the council in 2014, the city
didn’t stream meetings and wasn’t on social
media, so I started an email list to inform my
3rd Ward residents to stay informed about what
was going on in our city government. I emailed
them at least once month. And it also gave
them a way to contact me with their questions
and concerns.
They always
knew I was
working for
them.
“In local city
government,
council mem
bers rely on city
employees for
information.
However,
employees
work for the
city, while I
work for the
residents. As an
elected official,
I need to avoid
;system think,; and while it is important to lis
ten to the staff, I always try to remember I rep
resent the residents. I was their voice whether I
was a council member, and will be continue to
be if I receive the honor of being the next
Mayor of Villa Rica.”
In conclusion, McPherson emphasized she is
running as an advocate for the business com
munity, getting a handle on the city’s growth
and help direct the right type of growth, ensur
ing mayor and council work within the legal
framework of the city charter, and being the
voice of all the people at city hall.
You may reach Leslie McPherson on
Facebook at Leslie McPherson for Mayor or
LeslieEmcpherson@outlook.com
Early voting begins October 16th and the
election is November 7th.
“We need to think about
what kind of place this will be
in ten years and what we
want Do we want the
problems that a nearby city
has? I don’t think so!”
-Leslie McPherson,
candidate, Villa Rica mayor
Leslie McPherson
f 931 Maple Street • Carrollton • 770-214-2443 • tfhitenpoolsandspas@gmail.com