MACON, Ga. — There are two weeks until the Georgia primary. There are four candidates running for the Macon-Bibb commission district 5 seat. Commissioner Bert Bivins III currently hold that seat. He told 13WMAZ he does not plan to seek re-election.
The candidates are Macon natives Carlton Kitchens, Louie Hargrove, Erion Smith, and Monroe County native, Seth Clark. If elected, one of them will represent District 5. That includes parts of Macon south and west of I-75 like the Vineville neighborhood.
All candidates said they want to address public safety and blight.
Carlton Kitchens went to Southwest High School and is an entrepreneur with three businesses. He said he wants to lower property taxes, cut down on crime, and provide opportunities for youth to keep them out of trouble.
"Help our young people, start youth labs, teach them entrepreneurship. Those are some of my goals," said Kitchens.
Erion Smith went to Central High School and he is a personal development mentor. He said he wants to increase workforce development and address the food desert problem in his area.
"Just bringing better food solutions for our community, healthier foods, and a better way to get it and an easier way to get it so you don't have to go all across town to get it," said Smith.
Seth Clark's parents grew up in Macon-Bibb County. He said he moved to Macon and attended Mercer University. He has experience working in the state capitol and with nonprofit organizations. He is the owner of a public relations firm. Clark said he has plans to address blight with stricter enforcement for code citations, create access to healthy food, and bring more deputies to the county.
"By implementing a community policing problem, the most important part of that is the police and we are short on that," said Clark.
Louie Hargrove has lived in Macon his entire life and is retired from working in the behavioral health field. He has experience working on boards like the Friends of Rosa Parks Square. He said he will fight to put more deputies on horseback to fight local crime, open more grocery stores, and help people living in poverty.
"Trying to come up with something for the homeless and drug abusers as far as trying to come up with housing," said Hargrove.
Election day is June 9th.
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