A look into Joe Campbell’s Peachtree City Council Post 3 campaign 

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This November 4th, Peachtree City residents will vote for three open seats on City Council: Mayor, Post 4, and Post 3 between incumbent Clint Holland and Candidate Joe Campbell. Campbell, a leader with a background in development, operations, and community service, has built his campaign on his desire to preserve and enhance the community he and his family are proud to call home.

     Campbell’s personal story is non-traditional. His childhood was marked by unique challenges, including five years spent in Wyoming’s foster care system.  He was eventually adopted by two loving teachers, who tirelessly taught him values he carries today – never shy away from hard work, value honesty, and the importance of serving as a role model for others, especially children.  

He began his professional path with the Walt Disney Company in Florida.   Over 28 years he rose through the ranks, running operations, amicably resolving disputes between the unions and the company, and working on the development of Disney hotel properties worldwide-which included refining expertise in traffic and capacity planning, cohesive design, and operational feasibility. He sharpened his problem resolution skills, mining for the best possible outcome between diverse points of view. He also learned how to deliver significant projects on time and on budget.

      “My leadership experience in nearly three decades at Disney has given me the skills needed to be a positive force for change on our City Council. I’ve driven results across diverse perspectives-both nationally and internationally-and managed complex, mult-million dollar improvements” said Campbell.

   Campbell moved to Peachtree City in 2018 with his wife and children-one a 2024 McIntosh graduate, and the other attending J.C. Booth Middle School. Soon after, his wife’s parents move here, lured by the charm of Peachtree City and the desire to be near their grandchildren. Three generations of Campbell’s family now call Peachtree City home. Since leaving Disney, he’s remained deeply involved in local life by volunteering in schools, serving as Chairman of the Peachtree City Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors, and being a scout leader for our local Boy Scouts.

Campbell cites his commitments in three simple words:  Preserve, Thrive, and Connect.  

Preserve the village charm, green space, and safety of our neighborhoods

• Maintain and expand green space in new developments, reinforcing the Village concept with more stringent zoning guidelines and via the Unified Development Ordinance.
•  Prioritize traffic efficiency on highway 54 while preserving neighborhood safety and charm.
• Continue to strongly support our police and first responder teams – they are the best at what they do for a reason, and need our continued support.

Thrive by supporting small businesses, smart growth, and specific populations with targeted needs.

•  Reduce red tape for small businesses, making it easier to start and maintain operations.
•  Tightly vet commercial developments to ensure they enhance rather than erode the Village concept. This protects the community’s small-town character while still allowing for economic growth.
•  Create a veteran’s office position to help better connect our veterans to needed resources

Connect with open communication and transparency.

•  Host quarterly Town Halls and create online listening panels to gather input before decisions are finalized.
•  Increase transparency to reduce the risk of conflicts of interest and corruption.  
•  Promote evidence-based decision-making, sharing data with the public to build trust.

  While Campbell and his opponent share some of the same commitments – traffic improvements, preserving the village feel, and full support of Police and Fire & Rescue – they differ on other issues.

  Both candidates agree on more transparency with the budget and agree that there is a potential reserves surplus, however Holland’s recent approach to resolution included a last minute contingency to his vote that has left the budget approval in gridlock. Campbell speaks to a different leadership style, one that debates the tough issues early on and then works feverishly to drive to a decision that delivers results for the citizens. 

He would like to see the city adopt a more data-driven approach to reserves, publishing monthly the Days Cash on Hand, and managing it against the uppermost benchmark-a recommended 150 day emergency reserve.   Any overage would be redirected to other city priorities like rapidly addressing infrastructure needs, and upgrading city owned facilities and parks. This change moves the debate away from reserves as a percent of operating expense-which he believes can be misleading-and uses an absolute cash figure.  

  Another difference between the two candidates is their view on millage rate rollbacks. While some council members support the rolling back of mileage rates, they incorrectly infer those rollbacks automatically go directly back to the citizens. Campbell views it differently-before funding would return to citizens, it would remove needed funding from our schools-these unintended consequences on public education are not an area Campbell wants to sacrifice. While he does believe in returning money to the citizens, it needs to be done in a more thoughtful way. 

Additionally, he sees value coming to the citizens through the implementation of HB 581, which creates a new floating homestead exemption for Georgia homeowners that caps how much their property’s taxable value can increase each year based on inflation. This protects property owners from large and sudden increases in their property tax bills caused by a hot housing market, while protecting our schools and public safety infrastructure.

  “We have stellar, nationally-ranked schools, filled with first class educators,” said Campbell. “When you have schools like that, the value of your home certainly goes up. When you start taking money away from education then the schools suffer, and property value goes down.”

  To improve city planning and transparency, he plans to expand allocated time to speak at Council meetings, remove speech-limiting restrictions, and launch more listening forums including, but not limited to, a quarterly town hall. Input, early and often, is essential to getting to the best possible outcome. 

On infrastructure, Campbell believes based on his experience, a comprehensive traffic study is needed to understand and resolve traffic patterns citywide-“otherwise, addressing one problem, like 54/74, just makes it pop up elsewhere – this is the issue our neighbors in Planterra are grappling with.  We owe everyone a more robust view.”  He believes we have some simple “no regrets” moves by quickly addressing city- funded smaller improvements, such as traffic light synchronization.  “The six lights, constrained within ¾ of a mile, that are not synchronized on Hwy 54 between 74 and MacDuff are a perfect example.  These should be addressed right now.” says Campbell.  He believes the DOT is unlikely to change course mid-project, as Holland is suggesting, and recognizes the realities of our situation require a common-sense, iterative approach to improvements.

  Other additional priorities in Campbell’s platform include addressing the recent growth in higher-density developments, which can overcrowd schools and further congest traffic.   He is also focused on improving services for our residents-this includes creating a concierge-like position to help our Veterans access VA and other Veteran’s benefits, making available a resource to help small business owners navigate the required processes more smoothly, and evaluating our recreation master plan in the context of key age groups. For example, expanding options for daycare, ensuring teens have safe, evening options to gather, and creating more senior-friendly experiences. 

  “One of the hallmarks of my leadership is making things happen. My parents taught me to listen, work hard, build a plan, and deliver. I’m fueled by a common-sense approach to doing the right thing and am not afraid of difficult conversations-provided they are productive. Grandstanding and political nonsense has never been part of my style, and you can count on me for honest work and honest leadership. It is my commitment that I will lead with integrity and be a visible role model for what it means to serve in our community.”

Residents looking to learn more about Campbell’s campaign should visit his campaign website where more information about his platform, being a supporter, and donating are available. 

With a blend of leadership experience, community involvement, and a passion for Peachtree City’s future, Joe Campbell asks for residents to vote for him on November 4th for City Council Post 3.

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