Two candidates look to fill Byron City Council's Post 2 seat

BYRON -- Two candidates are seeking City Council's Post 2 seat, and neither has held elected office.

Voters will choose between Rusty Adams, a 52-year-old firefighter, and Rick Knowles, a 62-year-old retired California highway patrolman. Incumbent Farrell Bass is not seeking re-election.

Adams works at Robins Air Force Base's fire department and served six years in the Alabama National Guard. He also said he was the builder of the Peach Crossing Shopping Center and was the original owner of Dixie Communications, Peach Cleaners and Peach Beach Tanning Salon.

"Being a past business owner and developer in Byron, I'd like the opportunity to be a team-player (on City Council) and bring in new ideas on how to grow the city and bring new industries and jobs here," he said, adding that he would like to serve on the council's public safety and budget committees.

Adams' role as president of the International Association of Firefighters Local F-107, he said, demonstrates his ability to work well with people and solve problems. He said the local has gone more than three years without having to file a member grievance.

The greatest challenge facing Byron, he said, is lowering tax rates and working within the city's budget while ensuring quality services such as police and fire protection that keep up with the city's growth.

He said he would like to see Chapman Road widened for better access to the Benjamin Hawkins development, see tax incentives offered to bring new industries, jobs and housing to Byron, and have the Interstate 75 off ramp revitalized.

"I'd also like to see Byron build a new fire station and annex more land into the city limits," he said. "For example, I'd like to see all of Walker Road and Kewanee Farms annexed."

In terms of specifics for Byron's future, Adams said he would like to see the city hire a full-time grant writer in order to better take advantage of available federal money. He said the federal money could be used to improve the quality of life in Byron and might include such projects as turning the old City Hall building into a meeting facility to rent or possibly use as a senior citizen center.

He said he'd also like to see apartment complexes built in Byron to help attract new industry and provide much-needed living space for workers.

KNOWLES WANTS BYRON TO 'REMAIN A SAFE BEDROOM COMMUNITY'

Knowles, 62, moved to Byron in 2009 after choosing the town as a good place to retire. Born in Albany, New York, he grew up in California, served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps and worked 28 years with the California Highway Patrol, obtaining teaching credentials in law enforcement and adult education.

Knowles serves on the Byron Downtown Development Authority, Byron Better Hometown, Peach County Tourism Committee and the Byron Convention & Visitors Bureau Authority.

Knowles said that through his volunteer work on community boards, he and others were able to get a USDA grant for public restrooms at Jailhouse Alley Park, a DNR grant for walking trails in downtown Byron and hotel-motel tax increases to promote tourism.

"A councilman needs to listen to the people that elected him," Knowles said. "They need to remember tax money belongs to the taxpayers and not them or the City Council. It's a councilman's responsibility to stand up for all the voters and to build a consensus on council to get things done."

Knowles said storm water and sewer problems as well as the increasing price of water are among the challenges facing Byron. He also said he's concerned about education and how Byron and Peach County tax money is currently divided. He said if the city/county tax problem can't be settled, the city will be forced to increase its millage rate.

"My vision for the city of Byron would be that it remain a safe bedroom community," Knowles said. "But we do need to bring in industry to fill our industrial parks along with businesses that will go into our empty shopping centers. We also need to reduce the millage rate for our citizens, and we need to see to it that we have a charter high school in our community."

Byron City Council Post 2

Rusty Adams

Age: 52

Occupation: Firefighter

Political experience: No previous office held

Top issue: Providing tax incentives to attract new jobs and industry.

Rick Knowles

Age: 62

Occupation: Retired California highway patrolman

Political experience: No previous office held

Top issue: Solving costly, ongoing storm water and sewer water issues.

This story was originally published October 15, 2015 at 5:03 PM with the headline "Two candidates look to fill Byron City Council's Post 2 seat ."