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Weekend Edition - DECEMBER 30-31,2022 | $2.00 | GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA | gainesvilletimes.com
Honestly Local
Lula mayor wants ‘full-time’ status
Thomas seeks more power, responsibility for his position
Now you know
The Times has reviewed investigative reports into Lula leadership,
attended City Council meetings and interviewed city leaders and
residents to better understand the mayor’s goals and division in
the northeast Hall city. Government accountability is a critical part
of local news coverage. News tips are always welcome at news@
gainesvilletimes.com. Previous coverage of recent issues in Lula
can be found with this article online.
get. I can’t do a lot of things that
BY BRIAN WELLMEIER
bwellmeier@gainesvilletimes.com
It has been said in a multitude of
ways by residents and elected offi
cials that Lula Mayor Joe Thomas
wants to be a “full-time” mayor —
a council-sanctioned title he says
would come with an annual salary
and a more direct role into day-to-
day affairs at City Hall.
Lula has been marred by alle
gations of misconduct in recent
months after two consecutive
investigations — one into the city’s
code enforcement officer in July
and another into a complaint of
sexual harassment in October —
costing the city more than $10,000
in six months.
Talk of a redefined role for
Thomas that first appeared in the
45-page investigation conducted by
retired GBI agent Michael Rundles
again resurfaced at a regular meet
ing Nov. 21. During public com
ments, two residents questioned
Thomas about whether he sought
a full-time job at City Hall, with
at least one of them accusing the
mayor of trying to oust City Man
ager Dennis Bergin.
Thomas called that accusation
a “rumor going around town” and
stated the dual-role would entail
the duties of an assistant city man
ager position for $67,000 annually,
which he says is “in the budget.”
“I think Lula needs a full-time
mayor, personally,” Thomas said.
“It’s a (public relations) thing. It’s
also a separation of duties — Den
nis (Bergin) has too many duties to
keep up with ... it’s in the budget,
and Dennis (Bergin) needs help,
one way or the other.”
‘A full-time job for free’
After listing a number of income
sources he receives including a
pension, retirement and social
security, Thomas told The Times
he would resign from his job with
the U.S. Postal Service to become a
“full-time mayor” with the city —
though not without pay.
“I’m not going to do a full-time
job for free,” Thomas said. “I’m
only making $10,000, now, as part-
time mayor. I want to devote time
to it. I can’t do it. I don’t have time
... I can’t get the training I want to
need to be done.”
Thomas, who was accused of
trying to “micromanage” affairs
at City Hall in the first investiga
tion, reemphasized the notion that
he doesn’t have the time needed to
fulfill the duties of mayor.
“I want to serve the public a lot
■ Please see LULA, 4A
‘I’m passionate about this community’
SCOTT ROGERS I The Times
Georgia House District 30 Rep.-elect Derrick McCollum visits his car wash business Tuesday, Dec. 13, along Curt Lance Way in
Oakwood.
Becoming a lawmaker a natural progression for McCollum
Derrick McColllum
Age: 53
Occupation: operates rental properties and a car wash
Family: He and his wife Gina have five children and four grandchildren
Priorities in office: Road improvements on state routes, help for those in public
safety, mental health issues, eliminating the state income tax
BY JEFF GILL
jgill@gainesvilletimes.com
Knocking on doors is still a campaign
routine, but it was often an engaging
experience for Derrick McCollum, as
the person answering the door this past
election year wasn’t always a complete
stranger.
Sometimes, the prospective voter
would say, “You came to my house and
helped my mom, or something like that,”
McCollum said.
As a longtime firefighter, “you’d go
into people’s houses and help them” in a
moment of great need, he said.
“You’re already helping this commu
nity, so (being a legislator) was a natural
progression.”
The next step in that progression takes
place Jan. 1, as McCollum becomes the
new Georgia House District 30 seat rep
resentative, having defeated Democrat
Kim Floria in the Nov. 8 election. He
is replacing fellow Republican Emory
Dunahoo, who was drawn into District
■ Please see MCCOLLUM, 4A
A creek full
of soybeans
among our
’22 favorites
Editor’s note: Our reporters and editors wrote
hundreds of stories in 2022, but some stood out
more than others. Here are a few favorites from
them, including a story about a 10-year-old golf
phenom and an in-depth piece about a city’s lead
ers accused of misconduct. We hope you keep
reading in 2023.
Ben Anderson
You might think my favorite story of 2022 is
some hard-hitting piece that
required a lot of time and
effort. You’d be wrong. My
favorite story is about chicken
guts. To find out why, visit this
story on our website. (Just don’t
read it while you’re eating.)
For my second pick, I almost
chose a story I wrote for breast
cancer awareness month. It’s nuanced and con
tains a lot of
good, practical
information that
can help women
not only beat
breast cancer
but avoid get
ting it in the first
place.
But coming in
at No. 2 is a story
about Georgia’s
largest arcade.
You wouldn’t
know it from
reading the arti
cle, but I actu
ally played a
game of pinball
against the guy who hosts the event every year.
He used to play pinball competitively. Me, him
■ Please see FAVORITE, 5A
Favorite stories
To read our favorite
stories of the year, go to
gainesvilletimes.com/
favoritestories2022.
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