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THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2017
Meet the Candidates: Jefferson City Council District 4 race
Incumbent Mark Mobley
Why are you running
for this office? What
are your main platform
points?
I believe that the next 10
years are going to deter
mine whether Jefferson
retains its community feel
or just becomes another
interchangeable part of the
ever-expanding Atlanta
Metroplex.
Growth is coming up
1-85 and the addition of
new lanes south of Ham
ilton Mill is going to
expedite that process. The
growth has already made
its way to Braselton and
we are the next exit.
We are just seeing some
movement on the issues
that I’ve tried to lead on,
such as commercial devel
opment, park development
and planning and zoning.
I want to be able to finish
that work over the next
four years.
I believe that the expe
rience that I have gained
over the last five years
and the almost 100 hours
of training in municipal
government that Jefferson
has invested in me makes
me the most qualified can
didate to help Jefferson
through that transition.
My platform points
include:
•Commercial develop
ment, in order to give Jef
fersonians a place to shop
and dine locally, allowing
them more time at home
with their families and to
take the tax burden off of
our homeowners.
•Reducing residential
taxes as other sectors of
Jefferson’s economy grow
without endangering our
quality of life.
•Quality of life improve
ments to Jefferson, like
park upgrades, sidewalks,
and an amphitheater.
•Increased cooperation
with our School System,
dollar for dollar the best
educational system in the
State of Georgia.
•Preparing our infra
structure for the next 50
years, such as comple
tion of a new reservoir,
increased wastewater
capacity through a new
water treatment plant near
1-85, and upgrading aging
lines, as well as continuing
the fight for better internet
access for our citizens.
•Strategic support of
our award-winning city
services as they develop
and grow: Jefferson Police
Department, Jefferson Fire
Department, Parks and
Rec, Mainstreet Jefferson,
Jefferson Library, etc.
•Preparing for growth
to retain our small-town
character and quality of
life through informed
planning and zoning.
•Maintaining Jeffer
son’s tree canopy.
How do you think Jef-
MARK MOBLEY
District 4 Jefferson City
Council incumbent
ferson’s growth should be
managed in the coming
years?
Informed and proac
tive planning and zon
ing. Gwinnett County
was overwhelmed by
the growth of the Atlan
ta Metroplex and many
of the cities are trying to
zone and build to restore
the hometown quality they
had before that growth
occurred.
We have the advantage
of seeing the growth com
ing and being able to plan
for it. We must plan to
handle new traffic with
out endangering our cit
izens, and establish and
enforce stringent building
codes to require develop
ers to invest in Jefferson
and not just build quickly
and cheaply. The subur
ban decay of southwest
Gwinnett should serve as
a warning sign to us.
How do you think
the city should plan for
additional large distribu
tion warehouses that are
locating along the 1-85
corridor?
We must aggressive
ly pursue other types of
industries to diversify our
tax base. The current eco
nomic climate has made
distribution centers a key
part of the supply chain,
but rising diesel prices or
another unforeseen devel
opment could change the
equation, leaving us with a
lot of giant, empty boxes.
As for the current and pro
posed developments, we
must build roads that will
allow safe interactions of
the trucks with residential
citizens.
Walmart has proposed
locating in the city and
another large commercial
development was recently
approved for the Jeffer
son bypass area. What are
your views about com
mercial development in
the city?
I have been an advocate
for commercial growth my
entire time on the council.
In order to maintain ser
vices and lower taxes, we
need to diversify our tax
base. However, I am an
advocate for high invest
ment growth: developers
and companies building
high quality buildings and
helping with the necessary
infrastructure to ensure
that the new development
is safe and sustainable. I
also want to hold to our
new code standards so that
Jefferson doesn’t end up
looking like every other
four-lane road in Gwinnett
County.
The city has a very
large cash reserve and
is in the best financial
shape of its history. But
the city council declined
to lower the tax rate this
year. What are your views
about the city’s tax rate:
should it be lowered given
the city’s financial posi
tion?
I believe that we should
lower the tax rate. I was
the only council member
to vote in opposition to
retaining the current tax
rate and made a motion
to reduce it to 6.000 mills
from its current 6.185
mills, though it the motion
was defeated. 2016-17 has
been a time of explosive
growth for Jefferson and
the new income made it
possible to lower the tax
rate, return money to our
citizens, and expand ser
vices. Unfortunately, the
rest of the council did not
agree.
Please outline a brief
biography and resume of
yourself:
I am a native Jefferso
nian, a 1983 graduate of
Jefferson High School and
a 1987 graduate of the
University of Georgia. I
have been married to Rob-
bin McGhee Mobley for
28 years and we have two
children, Mackenzie and
Evan, both Jefferson grad
uates and both currently
attending the University of
North Georgia.
I am director of strategy
and programs for SAFFT,
Inc. a nonprofit that part
ners with Juvenile Courts
and DFCS to restore
families who are DFCS
involved. We have offices
in Gainesville, Cumming
and Rome.
I previously served as
the senior pastor of Living
Word (now the Jefferson
Church) for 11 years. I
have also served as a high
school math teacher, on
staff at Free Chapel, as
president and instructor at
Spirit Vision Bible Col
lege, executive director
of Georgia CALLS, and
as a business consultant.
I have volunteered on the
ambassador committee of
the Jackson County Area
Chamber of Commerce
and served as committee
chairman, on the Board
of Jackson County Habi
tat for Humanity, includ
ing a year as president,
and on the board of Hope
Resource Center.
David Wortham
Why are you running for
this office? What are your
main platform points?
My wife and family, like
most of the new arrivals still
coming to Jefferson, moved
here for the schools. They are
some of the best in the state.
I did not think Jefferson
would stay a small rural town,
I expected growth, not only in
population, but commercial as
well. I also expected our local
government would under
stand the population growth
is coming and have plans in
place for the future. That was
10 years ago.
There has been a stagnation
in managed growth that the
city needs, mainly in infra
structure and business growth.
This has placed a burden on
the homeowners to cover the
costs the city will have to
supply basic services.
During the debates, we
heard a recurring answer to
many questions, “we have not
done enough.” I agree and
feel that this is evidence of
the disconnect between the
citizens of District 4 and its
councilman, as well as, the
city government overall.
A quick glance at the City
of Jefferson Georgia website
characterizes our popula
tion as “older, wealthier, less
diverse.” That is but one of the
examples of the disconnect
that our government has with
the population. My neighbor
hood is full of young families
with children in school. Young
adults in their 20s and 30s
working to shape the future.
Each with a different story
and background. Each com
ing together to form a very
diverse community. Seeming
ly overlooked by our current
council. I want to return that
voice to the city council. The
citizens of District 4 will have
in me, a councilman they
know, can talk to, and have
to speak loudly when needed.
Another example of the dis
connect from the citizens the
current government is coming
from another campaign. They
are saying that I am not qual
ified to seek election because
I have not attended a city
council meeting. If we played
by that rule, only three or four
people would be qualified to
govern over 10,000 people.
Voter apathy is a problem. By
basing my qualifications sim
ply on attending one meet
ing is comical. The current
council has done very little to
welcome citizen involvement,
and even less to encourage
it. The time has come to ask
for votes, that is why we see
our elected officials. I want
everyone to know that I will
be active in the community
for all four years of my term.
I will return phone calls, I will
return emails, I will visit with
you, I will be your voice on
the council.
My platform is simple:
•Reduce the tax burden on
homeowners.
•Fight for a choice of high
DAVID WORTHAM
District 4 Jefferson City
Council challenger
speed internet providers.
•Showcase local business
and local talent.
•Encourage small business
es to build in and support
Jefferson.
•Keep the small town feel
of Jefferson.
How do you think Jeffer
son’s growth should be man
aged in the coming years?
Jefferson is going to con
tinue growing over the com
ing years. Planning for that
growth should have already
been completed. Sadly, oppor
tunities have been missed
that would lessen the impact.
We have not kept balanced
growth between residential
and commercial. Our govern
ment seems to have been side
tracked and communications
have faltered between the city
council and important boards
(school board) and commit
tees. Infrastructure in some
areas needs improvement to
handle current growth, while
other areas are only in need of
monitoring.
Growth should be wisely
managed.
How do you think the city
should plan for additional
large distribution warehous
es that are locating along the
1-85 corridor?
The distribution centers
are very nice when it comes
to taxes, and they stay busy
during good economic times,
but I do worry that they may
become the ultimate big
empty box along the high
way. As long as our current
infrastructure can handle the
warehouse, and we are man
aging wisely the locations,
they should be allowed.
I would prefer that we
focus more of our efforts at
attracting retail development
in the same areas of the distri
bution centers.
Walmart has proposed
locating in the city and
another large commercial
development was recently
approved for the Jefferson
bypass area. What are your
views about commercial
development in the city?
The approval for re-zon
ing of the tract of land for
the large commercial devel
opment is finally some good
news for homeowners, but
still some time away from
becoming a reality. Commer
cial growth that is well man
aged is needed in Jefferson.
The bypass offers some prime
retail locations. But only if
managed and planned prop
erly. The large development
site is a great location for
the southern edge of major
commercial growth. By sep
arating the commercial and
residential areas, we will be
able to maintain the small
town feel of Jefferson while
offering retail choices only
available in other cities.
Walmart is welcome to
locate in Jefferson. Most of
the people that I speak with
would like for Jefferson to
have a Walmart. Closer to the
interstate, we have prime loca
tions, please feel free to come
to Jefferson. At the intersec
tion of Old Pendergrass Road
and the bypass, I don’t see
that as a suitable location for
Wal-Mart. I would be willing
to entertain some commercial
development on that site, but
not Wal-Mart.
The city has a very large
cash reserve and is in the best
financial shape of its history.
But the city council declined
to lower the tax rate this year.
What are your views about
the city’s tax rate: should it
be lowered given the city’s
financial position?
During my business years,
I have expected my manag
ers to operate within a very
tight budget. I would have the
same expectations of the city
department heads and city
manager. Government offi
cials need to understand that
they take money from others
in the form of taxes, they
don’t generate much in the
way of revenue. I don’t think
that it is too much to ask that
the money be spent in a frugal
and wise manner. The tax rate
can and should be lowered.
Please outline a brief biog
raphy and resume of your
self:
I am not a native of Geor
gia, but my heart is Geor
gia-borne. My parents, Rich
ard Gordon Wortham, and
Dorothy Strickland Wortham,
were both from Athens. I was
bom in California while my
dad was in the Navy, stationed
at Moffett Field.
I have a successful back
ground. I am in my 17th year
of public service as a law
enforcement officer. I have
owned my own businesses,
as well as worked in cor
porate management. My
corporate experience ranges
from store manager, district
manager, regional manager,
national asset manager, up to
Chief Operations Officer of a
multi-million dollar company.
I believe that simple com
mon sense and logic will
solve most problems. That
teamed with my work experi
ence and conservative morals
and values make me the best
candidate for District 4 coun
cilman.
rehab the building then resell it.
Plott said the requirements for rehabbing the building,
especially the mandate to put in a sprinkler system, would
be costly. He said that perhaps the city could use some of its
revolving loan fund to help a new owner get the building up
to code to locate a business.
Quinn said he is a fan of incentives, saying that for the
Mike’s building to reconnect to city services would cost
$25,000. He said he thought the city should help “mom &
pop” businesses get started by assisting owners to renovate
old downtown buildings.
TAXES AND AUDIT
Lowering the city’s tax rate also saw some split in the
candidates’ position. Wortham, Quinn and Mobley all said
the city should lower its tax rate. Plott defended not lowering
the rate this year, saying the city needed to hire four new
positions.
%
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Forum continued from 13A
On providing a tax exemption for senior citizens, all four
candidates avoided saying the city would move that direc
tion, but that the city school system already had a small edu
cation tax exemption for those over age 65. The four hinted
that maybe the school tax exemption should be raised some,
although Quinn said that everyone benefits from having a
well-funded school system in the community.
On the city’s audit, which for the last four years has been
critical of the city’s bill-paying oversight, Quinn and Mobley
said that maybe another person in the finance department
would be needed. Wortham said that the city council had
Christian Church
Fall Fest
FOOD TRUCKS • INFLATABLES • GAMES
TRUNK OR TREAT • HAY RIDES • AND MORE!
Our annual Galilee Fall Fest will be held Sunday,
October 29, 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM. This year we
will have several food trucks for you to purchase a
variety of festival foods, with part of the proceeds
going to hurricane victims There will be activities
for all ages, including 3 hay rides, inflatables,
games, Trunk or Treat and more
known about the problem for four years, so why wait to fix
it? Plott said the problem was being resolved by the town’s
new city manager and that maybe another person would be
needed in city finance “down the road.”
A FLEA
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Antiques • Collectibles • Uniques
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10101 Davis St. • Braselton
(Across From The Braselton Library)
facebook
706-654-2190
email: afleaantique@gmail.com