Fayette County Board of Commissioners Chairman Charles Oddo is running for re-election in the countywide at-large post, he announced Thursday.
That sets up an election confrontation with former Peachtree City Mayor Don Haddix, who announced this week that he also intends to seek that same at-large post.
The new configuration for the board seats, created through the settlement of the NAACP district voting lawsuit, was approved by the General Assembly in recent weeks and signed into law March 2 by Gov. Nathan Deal, according to Oddo’s statement. That alignment calls for four district seats and one at-large seat on the board.
“Until the legislation was passed and signed, I withheld my decision on announcing from which district I would seek re-election,” Oddo stated. “Now that the lines have been settled, as the current chairman of the Board of Commissioners, I am announcing I will seek re-election from the new countywide at-large district.”
While there will be one seat on the board elected by all of the county’s citizens, that post will not automatically be named chairman. The commissioners will continue to select their chairman every January as they have done in the past.
Oddo is seeking a second term on the board, having been elected from his district in 2012. He asked for his constituents’ continued support, aspiring “to continue the course I promised four years ago.”
Acknowledging that elected leaders are expected to to what is best for the community, have the courage to make difficult decisions and the integrity to do what is right, Oddo said he expects no less of himself and has not shirked from that responsibility.
In his statement the chairman emphasized the importance of respectful and professional conduct in office as well as the ability to “build bridges and encourage relationships that benefit all citizens.”
Oddo highlighted several specific accomplishments from the past four years, such as three consecutive balanced budgets; two AAA bond ratings; “significant” operational improvements to the Fayette County Water System, stabilization of the retirement and health plans; and a $1.7 million rollback of property taxes to county citizens.
He said relations have improved between the county and its cities during the past year as evidenced by new agreement regarding Lake Peachtree as well as code enforcement, permits and inspections.
“Going forward it is critical that Fayette County maintain its strong financial position, balanced against needs such as infrastructure revitalization and transportation improvements. We must become partners with our sister cities, keeping an eye on what is good for all our citizens, and we must work together towards those goals as the community of Fayette, not individual entities,” Oddo stated.
