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Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009

Chalk promises capable leadership during run for WR mayor

Editor’s note — This is the third of three profiles about the candidates running for mayor of Warner Robins.

By Marlon A. Walker

mawalker@macon.com

WARNER ROBINS — Chuck Chalk says walking door-to-door has helped him gain ground in name recognition, where his opponents for the city’s top job have an obvious advantage.

The rest of what it takes to lead the city, he says, was learned through years of practice leading in various capacities in the Air Force, as well as working with his church and other area groups.

“My goal ... was to be personable with people,” Chalk said. “We started this on Aug. 11 when I made that announcement to the press, relatively unknown by most political social circles that lead and move through the city.

“Initially, it was a long shot for me to become mayor.”

Chalk is the candidate who came from relative obscurity when compared to his initial opponents, incumbent Mayor Donald Walker, Councilman Clifford Holmes and pharmaceutical sales representative Chuck Shaheen, whose family operated a local business while he grew up in the city.

The dynamic of the race changed dramatically Sept. 28 when Donald Walker took his life late that morning.

With Walker’s passing, Chalk refocused his campaign toward getting people to understand his qualifications and exactly why someone new to politics in Warner Robins is the best fit to lead the city.

“We’re no longer discussing whether we need change or who can carry on where Walker left off,” he said. “Now, there’s a vacuum that has to be filled. Mayor Walker, like him, love him, leave him, whatever, he had the city dialed in and he knew how to get things done. And he got it done. He had strong leadership within the city. City employees love him, many businesses in the community in general loved him. He was a very benevolent person. There’s a big vacuum to fill. My message initially of leadership, and capable leadership, has become more important because we have to replace that leader who has been here for 15 years.”

Chalk sees myriad problems the city needs tackled immediately by its new leader. He said he plans to look at the city’s public safety departments — including police and fire — and figuring out where their greatest immediate need lies. He mentioned the progress on the new facility for the Warner Robins Police Department, but said there seems to be more that needs to be acknowledged.

“I suspect there’s low manning,” he said. “I think they’re stressed. We need to pick up right there and improve their circumstances.”

The Georgia-Robins Aerospace Maintenance Partnership needs to be set in motion, he said, noting that all the lost time amounts to lost momentum to get the project going. “If we lose that momentum,” he said, “to get it rolling back up the hill is going to be tough.”

The obstacle he spoke most about was winning over the city workers, obviously feeling a void with Walker’s passing.

“There’s people that have been working within the city for years who have lost a dear friend, and a leader, not only for the city, but for the city government,” he said. “I want to really become personable and let the city employees know they still have a dear friend and a person they can and will be able to trust in.”

While he’s ready to tackle issues close to the city, he says anybody looking at the new mayor’s office from the outside in should realize it’s going to take the entire term for the new leader to create momentum on pushing his agenda for the city.

And while he sees his opponents as formidable, he says he’s best equipped to lead the city.

“I get the greater satisfaction out of seeing ... the city succeed,” he said.

“If people enjoy their work, then they’ll go that extra mile. They’ll provide quality service. You don’t have to push them to excellence if you can get them to where they really enjoy coming to work. On the base I can do that. I can serve the public in a public service capacity through administration.

“But what I lack there, in a larger sense, is affecting the lives of people in a very careful, mentoring way.”

To contact writer Marlon A. Walker, call 256-9685.