WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Campaigning is over now that voters in Warner Robins have selected LaRhonda Patrick to be the city's next mayor. 13WMAZ's Caleesha Moore sat down with the mayor-elect to learn more about her family, goals, and taking office.
"I'm just a regular person, a regular constituent, but now I have a very critical role to fulfill and I’m ready for it," said Patrick.
Before becoming an attorney, wife and mother, she was just a girl from Georgia with a dream.
"I always knew I was going to be an attorney ever since I was in middle school. I knew I wanted to be an attorney, but I also wanted to be in the military like my dad who was my hero," she continued.
She grew up in Warner Robins and says part of her reason for running was to see change.
"This is my forever home and there are certain things that I want in a city that I raise my child in," she said.
Her work will soon begin and she has a plan for those already at city hall.
"I have full confidence in them. All I want to do is make sure I get to know them and they get to know me and we do an assessment of each department. I anticipate everyone staying in their positions unless they don’t want to stay in their positions... I have no control over that," she said.
Patrick says some normalcy would be nice now that the election is over.
"I look forward to taking care of me and spending time with my son and my husband. They both sacrificed so much to be with me on this journey to get to where we are today," she said.
Patrick will take office in 2022, replacing Randy Toms after his eight years as mayor. She says she's already spoken with some community leaders in Warner Robins and people can expect transparency, leadership and teamwork.