During a public forum held last Thursday, attendees were able to hear campaign high points and question a small sample of the candidates running in this year’s Ellijay city election.
Both mayoral candidates, incumbent Mayor Al Hoyle and challenger Sandy Ott, participated, but only two city council candidates — incumbent councilman Tom Crawford and first-time candidate Thomas Griffith — attended the forum hosted by the Gilmer Republican Party (GOP) at Harrison Hall. All five of Ellijay’s city council seats are up for election, and there are six candidates vying for them.
After a brief meet and greet, the four candidates gave overviews of their backgrounds, qualifications and goals if elected, then answered a few questions from attendees.
“This is a nonpartisan race, but we think it’s really important that we provide the local candidates with an opportunity to engage with voters,” said Rhonda Weiss, Gilmer GOP chair.
“Although it’s a nonpartisan race, it’s important that the county and city (residents) are all involved,” added Richie Stone, a Gilmer GOP member who was the forum’s moderator.
All four candidates expressed a desire to retain the quality of life that brings so many people to Ellijay, while also welcoming responsible growth. They each touched on different approaches to this
In his remarks, Hoyle, owner of local business The Hitching Post and Ellijay’s mayor since 1997, referenced his track record, which includes various streetscape and infrastructure improvement projects (paving roads, new sidewalks, construction of the downtown and Highway 5 roundabouts), as well as better equipping the police department with such equipment as newer vehicles, bulletproof vests and body and vehicle cameras.
Hoyle said he strives to continually lower the city’s millage rate and has succeeded in doing so. The tax rate was 6.5 mils when he first took office and, if the next proposed city budget is adopted, it will drop to 1.89, he added.
“I’d like to see it keep going down further and further. I like providing better service with lower (taxes), relying more on sales tax and local option sales tax,” Hoyle said.
Ott, who’s currently Ellijay’s mayor pro tem, said she’s ready to bring a fresh perspective and new energy to the position of mayor, hoping to “strike a balance between progress and preservation.
It’s time for a new vision for the City of Ellijay ... to ensure that Ellijay continues to thrive and move forward in a way that honors our traditions and embraces the bright future for the city,” she added.
Ott, currently executive director of the University of North Georgia’s Blue Ridge campus, referenced her background in education and success in securing grants and non-taxpayer funding for various past projects.
“I am dedicated to seeking opportunities for funding to relieve the burden on our local government and taxpayers,” she added.
On the topics of growth and plans for the future, both Hoyle and Ott noted the importance of keeping up with how the growing influx of tourists and new residents impacts city infrastructure.
“Gilmer County and the City of Ellijay have grown at such a fast pace that our roads have not kept up. It just exploded. Tourism (has) exploded even more,” Hoyle said.
“As the City of Ellijay grows, we need to make sure the infrastructure, the roads, even our school system — how is that impacted with the growth,” Ott said.
Council candidates Crawford and Griffith also expressed similar outlooks on some topics, including managing growth and taxes.
Crawford, a longtime insurance agent nearing the end of his first council term, said he previously ran and delivered on a platform that included lower taxes and responsible growth. He intends to continue in that respect.
“Our property taxes are only about 10 percent of our total budget. We have to be very careful when we spend money. We can’t raise property taxes enough to do some of the things that need to be done in this town,” Crawford said. “We need grants and more business, but we don’t need to do it on the backs of the people who live here. That’s why we’ve held taxes down.”
Griffith, currently the facilities manager for Gilmer County Schools and a professional homebuilder, said he would bring a business- minded approach to the council. Ellijay has to make the most of SPLOST revenue that can be used for various projects, he added.
“There are countless projects we do every day that come from SPLOST dollars. We need to find ways to make it easier for the citizens when the tourists come, but still capitalize on those short term taxpayers while they’re in town,” he added.
As for future projects they would like to see come to fruition, Griffith said he would like to see more recreational opportunities created for local residents.
“For our families, kids and our visitors — (we need) more things to get people outside and more active and build this into a more active, happier community,” he added.
When asked about possible ways to better manage downtown traffic, Crawford said he would like to see lighted crosswalk signals installed and North Avenue become a one-way street.
“I would like to see (it) made a one-way street headed toward the school so there can be no left turns back on River Street, then double up parking on both sides,” he added.
Early voting for city elections in Ellijay and East Ellijay (where the mayor’s seat and all city council seats are also up for election), began Oct. 16 and will run through Nov. 3. Early voting can be done at the city halls in both cities. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7.
Copies of the election ballots for both cities can be found in this week’s newspaper.