Powder Springs Mayoral Race Heats Up

Mayoral race in Powder Springs starts to simmer:

Long-time councilman declares intentions to run against mayor

By Brittini Ray – Marietta Daily Journal

February 15, 2015

POWDER SPRINGS —

Powder Springs Mayor Patricia Vaughn will face in-house competition when she runs for reelection this fall, as a longtime councilman has announced plans to challenge her for the office.

City Councilman Al Thurman declared his intentions last week and said he decided to run because he feels he has more to contribute to the city.

“The mayor and I have served together for quite some time, and as long as we were going in the same direction, I had no desire to run for (her) office whatsoever,” he said. “As time went on, I did not feel that the mayor was taking the city in a direction — in the 21st century — where it could go.”

Vaughn said she respects Thurman’s decision to run and recognizes that they differ on visions for the city.

“I feel that it is certainly Mr. Thurman’s right to run for mayor if he wants to,” she said. “Mr. Thurman and I have two different visions for the city. I’m really proud of the state that the city is in.”

If elected, Thurman said he will focus on bringing new businesses to the city in an effort to increase the city’s commercial tax base.

“A few years ago, we had studies done on the city on what would do well in Powder Springs, and we also hired a consultant to help us figure out how we could build up our commercial base,” he said. “You would assume that these are things we would pursue, but those reports are somewhere sitting on a shelf. These are the types of things that have concerned me for the last few years.”

Thurman has been a Powder Springs resident for 33 years and a councilman since 2002. If elected, Thurman would be the first African-American mayor in Cobb County’s history.

His campaign will also focus on increasing the government’s accountability and transparency, Thurman said.

“As far as transparency, we have a lot of executive sessions,” he said. “There are things — like when I go to State of the City — that I learn about for the first time, and I’m a council member. Those are things that very much concern me. On many occasions those types of things occur. There just seems to be so much secrecy.”

Vaughn, first elected in 2004, disagrees with Thurman’s characterization of her administration.

“I think that the city is as transparent as it could be and that we hold ourselves very accountable,” she said. “I think that we have done a lot of good things and that has certainly taken the cooperation of the council, not just the mayor. I love serving the citizens and look forward to continuing the vision, but running is certainly (Thurman’s) prerogative and he has right to do so.”

Thurman said he has no ill will towards Vaughn and he hopes to build on the achievements the city has seen over the years.

“I don’t want it to be thought that I have any animosity against the mayor at all,” he said. “We have accomplished a lot together and I am very proud of that. A thing we have in common is that we both love Powder Springs. But as a team player, we must pass the baton when we’ve gone as far as we can go. I think that this is where we are.”

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