Macon-Bibb mayoral candidates face off at forum Tuesday

The two candidates for Macon-Bibb County mayor, both of them veteran politicians, couldn't disagree more on whether city-county consolidation has been a success.

At a Tuesday night forum where both incumbent Mayor Robert Reichert and his challenger, Lonzy Edwards, tackled issues ranging from poverty to jobs, their differences were most apparent on whether consolidation has worked well for the community.

In front of a crowd of more than 150 people at the Douglass Theatre, Reichert and Edwards responded to various panel questions. Voters will decide in six weeks -- on May 24 -- who will lead the consolidated government for the next four years.

The event lacked the same kind of fiery accusations of a recent news conference where Edwards accused Reichert and the county of using pension funds to help cover the general fund budget. Reichert and other county officials called that assertion patently false.

During Tuesday's forum, Reichert said he wants to continue the progress that's taken place in Macon, while Edwards said a new leader is needed to move a stagnant community forward.

Reichert, who is seeking his fourth term as mayor, said that since the consolidation of the former city and county in January 2014, the government's workforce has significantly dropped, the budget has been reduced by $20 million and new industry has come to town.

"We have united the people," Reichert said. "The consolidation was a physical structure, but people throughout Macon-Bibb recognize, realize and understand that we are in this boat together."

Edwards, who served on the Bibb County Commission from 2007-2013, countered that he doesn't think consolidation has led to more unity.

"We put the government together, but by no means brought the people together," Edwards said. "Race relations is worse than it's ever been."

Edwards said he would be a mayor who serves all of Macon-Bibb. Too much focus has been spent on improving downtown and the area around Mercer University while some other neighborhoods remain neglected, he said.

"The community needs a mayor that will be the mayor of the whole city and not just one section," he said.

Reichert said he's been part of a winning team -- made up of other county officials and entities -- under the consolidated government. The emphasis of improving the urban core is part of a strategic plan to improve the entire community, he said.

Downtown is becoming a vibrant area were "people can live, walk, learn and play," the mayor said.

Both candidates said Macon should be the hub city for Middle Georgia and that the cycle of poverty remains a major challenge.

"As a society, we need to be working to move people up and out of poverty and educate them and their children so they have a better quality of life and hope for the future," Reichert said.

Reichert said the problem is "not going to be remedied in two years, but we are headed in the right direction."

Edwards said one way to improve education is to offer more vocational programs to high school students.

"I don't think a child in Bibb County should be able to leave school without having a marketable skill that someone is willing to pay them for," he said.

After a question about job growth, Edwards said he doesn't think the 1,800 jobs created in the last five years is a large enough number. The figure, which comes from the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority, was a point of contention between the two candidates a few weeks ago. At the time, Edwards said he heard from friends that Reichert's campaign was telling residents in automated phone messages that 18,000 jobs had been created. Reichert's campaign said the calls cited the 1,800 number, not 18,000.

Edwards did not mention the 18,000 figure during Tuesday's forum.

"The sad truth is we have not been very aggressive in seeking our (job) opportunities," Edwards said.

Reichert said the Industrial Authority is the lead economic arm of efforts that has led to a $600 million of investment in Macon-Bibb from Kumho Tire.

In his closing remarks, Reichert likened Macon-Bibb to concrete that's been poured but is "still fragile and capable of being stepped in and messed up." There's a reason that there is some optimism in the community after it being missing for decades, he said.

"Let's not take a winning team off the field," Reichert said.

Edwards said it's time for residents to seriously think about what's best for moving ahead.

"I offer myself as an agent of change as we lead ourselves into a brighter future," he said.

The forum was hosted by the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce and The League of Women Voters of Macon.

To contact writer Stanley Dunlap, call 744-4623 or find him on Twitter@stan_telegraph.

This story was originally published April 12, 2016 at 8:46 PM with the headline "Macon-Bibb mayoral candidates face off at forum Tuesday ."