Union City

Mayor Ralph Moore was sworn in for his third term by State Court Judge

Susan Forsling at Tuesday's City Council meeting.

Council members

Barbara Bohanan and Shirley Jackson were sworn in by City Attorney Dennis

Davenport.

Moore's inaugural

address was a heartfelt call for a "revival of community spirit."

He reminded the audience of one of his favorite statements when he first

took office: "Growth isn't here now, but just stay tuned."

According to

Moore, Union City now ranks among the top ten fastest growing cities in

the state and is an economic hub for South Fulton County. He noted that

the growth was partially the result of "sound governmental principles

that says, 'Provide a safe and clean city with efficient delivery of services,

and they will come.'"

Calling the

city a "shining city on the hill," he said the city is one that

is written about and is an example to others.

Referencing

the effects of recent growth and the influx of new residents on the community

spirit, he asked, "Has our spirit to reach out to each other been

lost in the pictures painted by Norman Rockwell?" He enjoined the

citizens of Union City to interact with their neighbors and participate

more in the lives of others less fortunate.

He said, "Our

city must get beyond the convenience of avoidance. Not to do so only results

in a city that is just a fish bowl of addresses."

To "overcome

our inability to bridge the silent gap between us," Moore said residents

must first make a commitment to get to know their neighbors, by organizing

into neighborhood associations, forming social clubs or using the local

PTO. He suggested that churches, temples and mosques open their doors

to nonmembers for social and civic gatherings.

Mentioning

a number of city-sponsored events, he noted a need for recreation programs

to be supported to "facilitate a growing demand by our increased

population."

The mayor then

switched gears, focusing on what he considered "a very important

and fundamental issue that has become a very challenging topic in our

city" how to reestablish the city's economic competitive edge. He

said there is a "cloud of incompleteness in the form of an under-served

community for retail and service amenities." He continued, "A

very true reality for Union City is that there are very few tools available

to government to attract businesses to our city, and the ones available

lack the fullness to address the service and retail industries."

To correct

the deficiency, Moore said that Union City must be willing to make a financial

commitment toward an economic program. He stressed that the economic development

program could be supported by other resources but "should never,

and I mean never, take second position to other jurisdictional goals,

no matter how well intended.

Citing his

concern that retail and service companies are overlooking Union City,

Moore called for Union City to develop an outreach program to go to targeted

establishments to "let them know our market is just as vibrant and

lucrative as any market."

He emphatically

said, "Let other communities toot their own horn if they wish, but

we can no longer let others ride on this bus. This is the Union City express.

Either you can get on board and ride to that land of abundance, or you

can stand at the bus stop and wave as the bus takes off. Or you can get

caught in the way of this bus. But this bus will roll."

He closed on

a positive note, saying the city remains one of the "safest in the

metro area, one of the cleanest and one of the most prosperous,"

and again challenged his fellow citizens "not to depend on someone

else to make the difference."