Endorsement:Macon-Bibb Commission District 5
District 5 in Macon-Bibb County has a northern boundary of Wimbish Road, an eastern boundary of Riverside Drive, a southern line of Eisenhower Parkway and a western boundary that snakes along several streets including Pierce Avenue and Napier Avenue. Commisioner Bert Bivins was first elected in 1995 to serve on the Bibb County Commission representing District 2. In 2013, he was elected to the consolidated Macon-Bibb County Board of Commissioners representing District 5.
Bivins has a long Bibb County history. He was one of the first African-American students to integrate Bibb County public schools. He worked three decades at Robins Air Force Base and spent another decade teaching school.
While on the Bibb County Commission he was chair of the Properties and Ordinances and Resolutions Committee and he served as the county’s representative on the Macon Water Authority as well as the Macon-Bibb County Land Bank Authority and several other agencies.
Bivins wants to return to the commission to ensure a fair distribution of resources. He’s been one of the commissioners critical of the mayor’s focused downtown revitalization efforts and he was also one of the voices that wanted department heads to have the right to appeal to the commission, something this Editorial Board opposed, in the event of their firing.
Bivins was openly not a fan of consolidation, however he has pledged to make it work and said that by the time he leaves he wants a government that is as efficient as it can be. Bivins is particularly informed of issues involving the Land Bank and how it can be used to attack blight. He understands the $10 million allocated toward the effort is just a down payment. His district, maybe more than any other, with Pleasant Hill and Unionville neighborhoods, has been hit hard by blight.
Bivins’ opponent for the District 5 seat is Macon native and a political newcomer Leroy Jarrells. He’s a Navy veteran and retired firefighter who took the opportunity to retire shortly after Macon and Bibb County merged. He credits Mayor Robert Reichert for inspiring his run for office when Reichert told retirees to stay involved with the community to make it a better place. Another inspiration, according to Jarrells, was Bivins’ lack of response when he tried to contact him about another matter. Bivins admitted, during his interview with the board, that although he does get out among his constituents attending many events, he’s not up to speed in this world of constant contact and communication, and that he’s heard that some think he’s hard to get in touch with. He’s taken some steps to get better, but we think he has a ways to go.
Jarrells would like to use his energy to bring the community together to seek solutions to the blight issues facing District 5. He’s part of a group called SONS (Saving Our Neighborhoods) and would like to have open town hall type events after every commission meeting.
While we don’t doubt Jarrells’ desire to bring the community together, the “how” of it is vague. We were disappointed that he’s not attended commission meetings, although he did say he’s watched some the meetings on government access channels — and he said he stayed away on purpose. That is not how a candidate prepares for a position. County government is complex and it seems to us that Jarrells faces a steep learning curve if he were elected. That said, we believe Jarrells should learn from this experience, study the commission, attend meetings and come around next election cycle better prepared. However, this time around, Bert Bivins is the best candidate for the job of Macon-Bibb County Commissioner for District 5.
This story was originally published May 11, 2016 at 9:40 PM with the headline "Endorsement:Macon-Bibb Commission District 5."