Anyone calling Macon-Bibb County Mayor Robert Reichert a career politician could be met with jeers and sneers from those who favor the consolidated government’s 70-year-old chief executive.
The career politician callers could counter with jeers and sneers of their own, accurately pointing out that Reichert has held political office for 27 of the last 32 years. He began his political journey in 1987 by serving a four-year term on the former Macon City Council. Next, Reichert served a 10-year stint as a Bibb County representative in the Georgia General Assembly.
After that, Reichert took a five-year absence from public office, returning in 2007 when he won his first of four mayoral terms. Because of term limits, Reichert won’t be eligible to seek re-election in 2020. Reichert would’ve been term-limited after serving two terms in the former Macon city government. However, consolidation of the former Macon and Bibb County governments gave him the opportunity to serve two four-year terms in the new government.
Reichert has another year and a half remaining on his current term. Some mayoral hopefuls, however, have begun campaigning for the position, and they’re taking jabs at Reichert and some things he’s done during his lengthy mayoral journey.
One who wants to be the next chief executive is Commissioner Larry Schlesinger. He served on the former Macon City Council before winning a commission seat on the consolidated government.
In an candidacy announcement video posted on-line, Schlesinger talks about his likes and dislikes; his family and friends; his contributions to the community and his service on the city and county governments.
Then, Schlesinger becomes a sniveler and fussbucket, verbally assaulting the mayor from several directions. Schlesinger called Reichert everything from an unprincipled and irresponsible spend thrift who deliberately divides people in order to become the leader of a crusade to conquer the opposition and get his way.
Schlesinger said for the past 20 years, the mayor has disappointed people and left them dismayed. Twenty years would include part of the eight years C. Jack Ellis served as mayor.
Reichert, Schlesinger says, draws battle lines, manipulates the process and quashes opposition. Those self-serving mayors, Schlesinger says, turns good people off and slips special interest through by creating havoc.
Schlesinger says he’s fought that kind of mayoral leadership for 12 years. It’s time, he says, to elect a work horse, not a show horse. It’s time to establish more transparency, more careful planning and more consultation. In his video, Schlesinger promised that he’d properly supervise budgets and not raise taxes every year. He’d make sure the budget is balanced and that the sheriff’s department and district attorney’s office receive full funding.
If you’ve had enough ineffective leadership, crime and blight, Schlesinger called himself a community bridge builder who can put an end those problems. He wants to earn your support, prayers and votes.
It isn’t known if Ellis or Reichert plan to respond to Schlesinger’s attacks. But the Schlesinger left enough mud for Ellis and Reichert to grab a buckets, scoop up some of the mud Schlesinger has flung and start slinging it back their attacker. Never one to dodge a political fight, Ellis might sling a little mud at Schlesinger, especially if Ellis decides to run for mayor next year.
In addition to Schlesinger, Bibb County School Board President Lester Miller has announced his candidacy for mayor. Several others have expressed interest in the position. They include Commissioner Elaine Lucas, state Representative James Beverly and Commissioner Al Tillman.
