New Roswell Leaders Prepare To Take Office

ROSWELL, GA -- In less than a month, the Roswell City Council will look drastically different than it does at the moment. That's because the city will not only have a new mayor, but four new faces will join the elected body, ushering in a new era for a city that's been in the headlines for less than positive reasons.

Mayor-elect Lori Henry and Council members-elect Matt Tyser, Matt Judy and Marie Willsey will all take office when 2018 rolls around. Post 3 Councilman Sean Groer, who succeeds Donald Horton, was sworn into office at the City Council's Dec. 11 meeting.

Henry, who currently serves on the Council, succeeds Mayor Jere Wood while Tyser takes over for Post 5 Councilman Jerry Orlans. Willsey will take over the Post 4 seat held by Henry and Judy will advance to the Post 6 seat held by Nancy Diamond. Orlans and Diamond both chose not to seek re-election this year.

As Roswell's new mayor, Henry said she's "thankful and honored" that Roswell residents have placed their faith in her to lead the city over the next four years. She added her administration will also be one of consensus building and inclusiveness, as many citizens have felt that their voices have not been heard over the last several years.

Henry, along with fellow candidate Lee Jenkins, fought off their respective challengers in the Nov. 7 general election to advance to the Dec. 5 runoff for the office of mayor. Henry prevailed in the race with 55 percent of the vote.

Once in office, Henry added she wants set a positive tone and translate her platform into a strategic plan. She also planned to be transparent and practice fiscal responsibility at every level of government.

"We are fortunate to have a very hardworking and professional city staff," she added. "My job is to give them a clear and defined direction so we all can roll up our sleeves and get to work. We are beginning a new era in the city of Roswell and that is refreshing."

Groer will serve out the remainder of Horton's term that expires in December 2019. As readers recall, Horton resigned from the Post 3 seat to run for mayor. The fun part about his campaign for City Council, Groer added, was watching how his base of supporters grew over the last several months. Now that the election is over and the campaign signs are starting to (slowly) disappear, Groer said now is the time for leaders and stakeholders to put their best foot forward, show a collaborative front and work to unite the city.

“We can’t make the progress we need to and want to if we don't show unity in the city," he added. Once he gets situated, Groer said he wants to focus on recruiting high-tech jobs to the city and see what can be done to redevelop struggling shopping centers. Of course, he also said he'd like to explore what can be done on the traffic front using smart technology and other emerging tools.

Last, but certainly not least, Groer said he's also committed to getting varying perspective on major zoning issues that come before the Council. Listening to and review a variety of viewpoints, he added, will help him and his peers develop sound decisions based on facts.

“I want the people of Roswell to know that I won’t let them down," he told Patch.

Redevelopment and recruiting new companies to consider moving to Roswell are also on the mind of Council member-elect Marie Willsey. However, Willsey added this initiative should also include getting the office space needed to house employers dedicated to bringing high-end jobs to the city, particularly along the Holcomb Bridge Road corridor.

“Having the office space for work is something we’ve got to address first," she added.

Willsey said she's excited about the new challenge, and is looking forward to working with her fellow elected officials to see what they can do "for the betterment of the city." She also said she's interested in improving and expanding the city's lineup of impressive parks and recreation space.

Roswell and its leaders have been in the headlines for less than flattering reasons over the last year. In 2016, former City Council member Kent Igleheart was arrested and charged with arranging a sexual encounter with an underage girl. He resigned from the Post 3 seat, triggering a special election subsequently won by Horton. Igleheart, an actor by trade, was indicted earlier this year on those charges.

Of course, there's also the legal battle involving outgoing Mayor Jere Wood. A Fulton County Superior Court judge ruled in August that the long-time mayor was ineligible to seek a fifth, four-year term as mayor in 2013 due to the Council imposing term limits in its City Charter. Wood is appealing the ruling as he serves out the final days of his 20-year career in public service.

Wood has accused former City Council member, State Rep. Betty Price, with having a hand in trying to remove him from office. Wood last week announced he will be seeking the State House District 48 seat held by Price.

Wood also sued the Council over its rejection of his request to build a wood-framed structure on property he owns at the corner of Canton and Woodstock streets. The city eventually settled that lawsuit, paving the way for the mayor to obtain the certificate needed to move forward with his plans.

Tyser, who said serving Roswell in some capacity is something he's always wanted to pursue, told Patch that he's looking forward to working with the new mayor and new crop of Council members to "do really good things for Roswell."

In the meantime, Tyser said he's been attending Council and city committee meetings as well as reading mounds of documents to help him understand previous issues and topics that are slated to come up in the coming weeks. The Councilman-elect added he wants to also focus on encouraging business and commerce to come in to the city to help balance out Roswell's revenue base. Along with revitalizing shopping centers, Tyser added wants to explore avenues to see how that redevelopment can be achieved.

Tyser told Patch that public service runs in the family. His grandfather served as highway commissioner for Skokie, Illinois, a job he said his grandfather took pride in as he carried out his duties.

“This is kind of special for that standpoint, and I really hope to use the skills I've learned my whole life to help Roswell move into the future," he added.

For Roswell native Matt Judy, giving back to the city in any capacity has been something he's long dreamed about. Now, as the Post 6 Councilman, Judy will have no shortage of ways he can contribute to Roswell's progress.

"To have the voters put their trust in me is just an honor," he said.

Throughout the months-long campaign, Judy said he's always been prepared to listen and learn from "those who are smarter than me" by surrounding himself with others who can provide a wealth of talent and knowledge. While he was well-versed with listening on the campaign trail, Judy said he feels prepared to take the next step and serve as the representative for all of Roswell.

Specifically, Judy is calling on elected officials to change and work on improving the culture and Roswell's reputation. Once that is hurdle is overcome, Roswell can begin working on making the city a more business-friendly municipality.

"We have a real opportunity over the next four years," he said. While growing up, the mayor and City Council members were the "real fabric" of the community, as they were always seen at various events around Roswell. He wants to continue that tradition by making sure people and their families see him as a real asset to the community and a voice for them.

"For me, it’s important to immerse myself as a representative of the community," he added.

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