Former Peachtree City Mayor Harold Logsdon has announced he will seek re-election to the office he held for one term.
And he’s running against a man he sued for libel.
Logsdon, who settled a libel suit against current Mayor Don Haddix last year, served as mayor from 2005 to 2009.
In his final year in office, the city eliminated a number of public works positions as landscaping services were cut and shifted to private landscaping companies via contract. The change was necessary at the time to provide a deep savings in the budget, Logsdon said at the time.
Logsdon will join Haddix, current council members Vanessa Fleisch and George Dienhart and businessman Ryan Jolly in the five-candidate field for mayor.
In his announcement letter, Logsdon said he has been “appalled” at the lack of leadership the city has seen over the past three and a half years.
Logsdon also touts his experience as a plus.
“You deserve a mayor who has a record of new ideas and innovative problem solving, and a mayor who can bring people together to find practical solutions,” Logsdon wrote. “You also deserve someone who can restore a sense of cooperation among city, county and state officials.”
In 2009, Logsdon declined to run for re-election, instead qualifying for a run at the state insurance and fire safety commissioner’s office. Logsdon ultimately bowed out late in that race due to health reasons.
In addition to protecting the city’s quality of life, Logsdon also wants to focus on economic development and ethics, he said.
Retired from a 36-year career at BellSouth, Logsdon also served in the Army National Guard and has been active with Boy Scouts, the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce and the American Legion.
“I am running because you deserve a mayor who will work for you, for your family and friends, and for the city — not someone who will work for his own agenda,” Logsdon said.
