Friday, October 13,2017
Lake Oconee News
Page A3
Lanier
Continued from A1
on the Board of Visitors of
Emory University and was
involved with the Georgia
College Foundation, the
Georgia Trust for Historic
Preservation and many other
civic organizations.
While in DeKalb, Lanier
successfully managed a
multi-million dollar devel
opment business for over
25 years while also owning
Traditional Realty Company
for 45 years. From 1964 to
2010, until the economic
downturn took its toll, he
constructed hundreds of
projects to include new apart
ments, banks, churches,
homes, shopping centers, and
retail and industrial offices.
Lanier also was responsible
for the development of large
numbers of residential build
ing lots and shopping center
sites along with office and
industrial sites. Upon his
return to Madison, the may-
oral candidate restored and
rebuilt his personal home,
the historic Female College
of Georgia and the adjoining
historic home for their guest
house. Since 1981, Lanier had
owned, restored and rebuilt
Shoulderbone Plantation
that was sold in 2013.
Mr. Lanier, please tell us
about your experience of
living in Madison.
I have lived in Madison for
the past 16 years. I bought
my home at 472 S. Main
St. in early 2001, with the
assistance and urging of Roy
and Chris Lambert, my very
dear friends. Our friendship
over the prior 20 years had
resulted in my serving on
the MMCC Board, where I
was first introduced to some
of Madison’s great people
which enticed me to consider
purchasing a home here.
Roy was Madison’s last and
most dynamic cheerleader,
urging everyone in Atlanta
and across Georgia to come
see and visit his great town.
My purchase of the home
which was the Female
College of Georgia in the
mid-19th century and all its
furnishings has been one of
the greatest joys of my life.
Dena and I are very fortu
nate, blessed and humbled
to enjoy this beautiful home
every day in our chosen
hometown. We are very
proud to live in Madison and
are deeply grateful for the
privilegetoliveinthemidstof
one of Georgia’s oldest, most
cultured and truly historic
towns.
Please tell us about your
involvement in local
government and your
business interests since
leaving elective office.
My first experience in
government service was in
my early 20ss as a DeKalb
County police officer for
about 10 years. Eight of
those years were as a homi
cide detective during the
60swhich were many of
DeKalb’s growth years.
In early 1975, a group of
several business andpolitical
leaders, including George
Warren,who livesinMadison
today, requested that I run for
and seek a vacated seat on
the DeKalb County Board
of Commissioners. I ran for
and was elected,out of a field
of nine candidates who qual
ified for the open District 3
seat. I received 48 percent of
the vote in the election and 74
percent in the resulting run
off. After serving that term
I was re-elected to a second
term in District 3. After
servingthe second term, I ran
for an at-large, county wide
seat against an incumbent
member of the board and
was again elected by a large
margin. At the end of that
term I ran again unopposed
for my fourth and final term,
151/2yearsinacountyofover
500,000 people. I served as
presiding officer/chairman of
that board for several years
during those last two terms.
After leaving public office,
I immersed myself in my
real estate management and
development businesses.
These businesses flourished
and were very successful
for over thirty years until
the economic depression of
2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
My seven companies and
myself personally were dev
astated by the poor man
agement of our federal
government during that
time.
As evidence, during that
time over 300 banks were
closed in the United States
by the FDIC.
Due to perseverance and
greatly the patience and
support of my wife Dena, we
have substantially recovered
from this financial disaster.
Not any of my seven com
panies or myself personally,
ever filed for or chose to
bankrupt. We continue to
own all seven companies.
We certainly don’t have the
financial resources we once
enjoyed but we continue to
enjoy good character and
strong Christian ethics.
Over my years of business
involvement, I served on four
Georgia regulated and FDIC
regulated Bank Boards of
directors.
Voters in Madison have
their own ideas about
why current candidates
are running for office.
What are your reasons?
My reason for seeking
the position of mayor of
Madison, is to bring effec
tive, responsive, respectful,
transparent leadership and
change to the otherwise
weak, caretaker mayor and
council government which
serves the voters and citizens
of Madison today. There are
numerous otherissues which
are important to the citizens
of Madison, which have
basically been ignored by the
mayor and council until the
recent political campaigns
which began very unexpect
edly on Aug. 25,2017, the last
day of qualifying.
I will be if, elected, a strong
pro-business mayorwiththe
leadership ability to bring
clean, high tech industry and
growth to Madison. Good
high paying jobs, enhanced
tax base from industries who
do not require much in way
ofservicesbutdohelp reduce
the taxes on residential
homeowner taxes.
I do not desire to change
the small town, rural atmo
sphere ofMadison. I strongly
support new residential
development on the many
acres of zoned residential
land in the city and I commit
to protect the integrity of the
Madison National Register
Historic District. In myyears
of building and development
I totally restored six declin
ing Georgia houses and
cabins, three of which are
nowon theNational Register.
Recent statistics show
that Madison is not growing
like its surrounding sister
cities. It is actually going
backwards. Good quality
businesses are being discour
aged by city staff. The city
management and staff will
kick, scream and deny this,
but it is true.
What are the greatest
challenges for the city of
Madison?
To elect strong pro-busi
ness candidates to mayor and
city council, to bring effective
leadership and change.
What do you see for the
future of Madison and
Morgan County as well?
Madison is at a fork in the
road. Take the right fork and
see good, sensible growth
with new jobs, the conten
tious feeling of many citizens
addressed and Madison be
promoted as a great place to
live, work, play, learn, wor
ship and raise a family.
Through leadership
and mutual co-operation
with the Morgan County
Commissioners, I will work
hand and hand to move
Madison - Morgan County
forward to abright successful
and prosperous future.
Take the wrong fork and
continue down the same
road to vacant stores, no
real growth, unhappy, dis
gruntled citizens who will
continue to be contentious
duetonorealleadershipfrom
the elected government
What might the
residents of Madison not
know about you or your
candidacy?
I have the business and
management experience to
provide strong leadership to
the city c ouncil and staff,
and the understanding of our
constitutional government
of democratically elected
representatives. I have the
governmental experience
of nearly 16 years serving
in public office and leading
good peopleto be even better.
Also, I am a native of
DeKalb County. My mother
was born in Morgan County
at McHugh’s Mill near
Rutledge in 1904. Their
land was condemned by the
U.S. Government in 1931 to
become Hard Labor Creek
State Park.
My father was born
on the Greene- Hancock
County line, at what is now
Shoulderbone Plantation in
1909. My father’s parents
were originally from south
Oconee County near the
Greene - Morgan County
line.
I sincerely ask for the good
taxpaying citizens and voters
to vote for and support my
effort to serve the people of
Madison.
Editor’s Note: With three
contested city of Madison
races, a heavier than usual
turnout of voters for the
Tuesday, Nov. 7th, election is
expected. Early voting starts
on Oct. 16 and ends on Nov.
3. Voting takes place at the
Morgan County Board of
Elections and Registration
Office, 434 Hancock Street,
with the office open from 8:30
a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday.
HA MAN©
RECYCLING & TRANSPORT
NOW BUYING
PECANS
And paying
TOP PRICES
on all recyclable
metal materials.
127 Lower Harmony Road | Eatonton
(706) 485-8106
it w
l j
ELECT
★★★★★★★★★★★★★
LANIER
MAYOR
For ALL the People
of Madison
S Practical Business Experience
S Proven Governmental Credentials
S Local, Regional & Statewide
Relationships
If Elected I Will Be A
Strong Pro-business Mayor:
★ With The Leadership Ability
and
^ Talent To Attract Good Clean Industry
to
★ Lead City Council To Support Real Growth
which will
★ Produce Positive Growth In The Tax Base
that will
★ Reduce Homeowner Taxes
and
★ Create Good Quality, High Paying Jobs
No Other Candidate Has This EXPERIENCE
Early Voting starts 10/16/17
Election Day is 11/7/17
For more information Call 404.310.0412
to make a donation or find out more go to
www.lanierformayor.com
