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With less

than two weeks to go before a runoff, Fulton County Commission candidate

Bill Edwards is trying to get his message out to the voters.

Edwards finished

second in the crowded field with 13 percent of the vote and hopes that

voters will take the time to vote Nov. 28.

"I hope

this national situation doesn't poison them on voting," he said.

Edwards has

lived in South Fulton for more than 25 years and owns Edwards Allstate

Agency. He believes the key to revitalizing the area is economic development,

coupled with better education for the region.

"A lot

of people say that I'm running for commissioner and I can't do anything

about education, but I think I can," he said.

Edwards would

want a task force established with members of the commission, Fulton

County Board of Education and others to help focus on making the schools

better.

"If

an industrial prospect comes to the area, one of the first things they

are always interested in is school for their employees' children,"

he said.

While many

companies locate in South Fulton, the employees will live in other counties

to send their children to better schools. If the parents aren't living

in South Fulton, the tax dollars are going somewhere else, which hurts

everybody in the county, he said.

In addition

to focusing on improving education, Edwards wants to get the message

out that the area is prime for economic development. The area has fallen

in the shadow of development in north Fulton for so many years that

Edwards wants more efforts put into luring companies to the area.

On other

issues, he believes MARTA is a regional transportation system, but believes

you have to "play with the hand you've been dealt."

"I agree

with Mike Kenn's recent statements, but we also have to focus on getting

this system off the backs of the poor and minorities for funding,"

he said.

Edwards was

one of the leading opponents of a sixth runway at Hartsfield International

Airport, but said, "That airport is not going to go away."

Leaders in

the area near the airport need to find a better way to work with airport

officials to increase more opportunities for everybody in the region,

he said.

Edwards has

been heavily involved in the community during the last 25 years.

Some of his

service positions and accomplishments have included:

Atlanta

Regional Commission, 13th District commissioner.

Hartsfield

Atlanta Airport Master Plan.

Legacy Coalition

chairman.

Old National

Merchants Association president.

South Fulton

Chamber of Commerce board member.

In the end,

Edwards wants voters to look at his qualifications and know that he

is well-prepared for the job, he said.

"It

is my mission to ensure that South Fulton receives more smart-growth

development," he said.

Editor's

Note: Khadijah Abdur-Rahman, the leading candidate in a field of 13

candidates in last Tuesday's balloting, thus far has not responded to

The Citizen's requests for an interview.