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GWEN AGAIN
As the political season slips quietly along, I feel the need
to clarify where I stand and wiry. Flagpole does not endorse
candidates, but I do. I speak only for myself; I don't speak for
Flagpole or anybody else here. Some readers count on me to
suggest candidates, but I have no illusions that endorsements
in newspapers mean all that much. Generally, I wait until the
end of the campaign, but this time is different, because I
have pretty much decided that I 'will probably endorse Gwen
O'Looney for mayor and don't want to pretend that I haven't
pretty much made up my mind. At the same time, for those
who are interested, consider this thinking out loud, because
there's still a lot of campaigning to be done between now apd
November, and things can always change in politics.
There's a lot to consider for anybody trying to decide on a
candidate. We've got a good, strong field of people who know
Athens. I'd have to put an asterisk by Glenn Stegall's name on
that one, because he has been here only as a college student,
but he's obviously smart and sharp enough to learn whatever
he needs to know about Athens on the job, if elected.
Like Gwen, Charlie Maddox, Nancy Denson and Spencer Frye
have been immersed in Athens for a long time and know our
community well. We are fortunate to have such a strong field
of candidates who have
So, why am I for Gwen
instead of one of these
other well-qualified
candidates?
THIS WEEK’S ISSUE:
NEWS & FEATURES
City Dope •••■■•••■■••••••••••••••» Si
Athens Ne vs and Views
Coromissionef George Maxwell is running tor reflection, and Paul Broun Jr a running from himself
Townieconomy 9
The Pasture's Always Greener
Our local commerce reporter goes back to the land
ARTS & EVENTS
Art Notes 10
Art at the Depot
Set to open in a month the Farmington OetxX Gallery will host rotating regional artrst exhibitions
The Reader 10
Welcome to the Jungle
The List Lfvtng Slut offers a graphic chronicle of an Iranian woman s life as a groupie m England
MUSIC
Venice Is Sinking’s Sand & Lines. . . .
Featuring Special Guest, the Georgia Theatre
Proceeds from this hue album will benefit the Theatre s reconstruction
.. 16
already served Athens
admirably. Charlie. Nancy,
Spencer and Glenn are
fnendly and easy to be
around, which is impor
tant in politics because
it facilitates the flow of
information both ways—from citizens to officials and vice-
versa. Gwen is certainly friendly, too, though sometimes she's
not so easy to be around, because she never relaxes; it's just
not in her nature.
So, why am I for Gwen instead of one of these other well-
qualified candidates? I guess the short answer is that I saw her
in action when she ran for mayor before and when she served
as Chief Elected Officer/Mayor, and I also saw her in action
after she was no longer serving as mayor. In fact, I think Gwen
has impressed me more in the years since she got out of office,
simply because she didn't have to stay involved in things. She
was mayor for eight years and on the city council before that,
and those positions demand a lot of community involvement.
That she stayed involved after she left office has shown me
just how much Gwen cares about Athens-Clarke County.
Gwen was CEO/Mayor during the period when our unified
government was being created, literally, ordinance by ordi
nance. She helped to assemble it and she knows how it works.
Her long involvement in Athens has taught her what our needs
are, and her expertise with the operations of the government
shows her how to use it to do what we need to do. She knows
how to work with the commission, and she knows how to man
age the manager. She can start to work the day she is sworn in.
I guess you could say it is time for somebody new to have
a chance at it somebody younger and more energetic, and I
would agree if Gwen weren't in the race. I don't think any
body is more energetic than Gwen or more progressive or more
committed to solving the problems of poverty, homelessness,
lagging economic development, transportation <*nd education.
Gwen is as much at home visiting a church on Sunday morning
as.she is hanging out at the 40 Watt Club on Saturday night
She has a thorough knowledge of Athens from one end to the
other and from top to bottom.
I'm prejudiced toward Gwen out of friendship and from hav
ing watched her confront the needs of our community and fig
ure out how government can help. I know what kind of mayor
she would be, because I know what kind of mayor she has
been. And when she was mayor, she didn't have the progressive
commission we have now. I'd really love to see what she and
the new commission can accomplish together.
With all her experience, she hasn't lost her idealism, but her
idealism has not blinded her to the realities of day-to-day gov
ernment either. Gwen, like John Kennedy, is "an idealist with
out illusions," who has always asked what she could do for her
city. She's not perfect but she set a high standard as mayor.
I, for one, would like to see Gwen back taking care of her city
again, renewing our vision of what Athens can be.
Jill
Pete McCommons editor@tiagpoi9.com
The Anniversary of the Georgia Theatre Fire 17
One Year Later, the Loan to Rebuild Is Finally Secured
The Theatre wiH launch an eBay store to help raise funds tor reconstruction
LETTERS
4
MOVIE PICK
13
! CITY DOPE
5
RECORD REVIEWS
15
CITY PAGES
6
VENICE IS SINKING
16
CAPITOL IMPACT
: 7
GEORGIA THEATRE
17
ATHENS RISING
7
MITCH EASTER
18 !
SPL0ST
8
THE CALENDAR!
19 !
TOWNIECONOMY
9
BULLETIN BOARD
24
ART NOTES
10
ARTAR0UN0 TOWN
25 ;
THE READER
10
COMICS
26 !
FILM NOTEBOOK
11
REALITY CHECK
27
MOVIE DOPE
12
CLASSIFIEDS
28 !
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