Clarkesville voters will decide on May 24th who their newest City Council member will be. The city is holding a special election in conjunction with the regular primary to fill the council seat Barrie Aycock vacated to run for mayor.
Candidates for the Clarkesville City Council are Tina Courson Evans and Bob Kilgore. The responsibilities of a City Council member are to: pass city ordinances, take action on matters of city planning and zoning, hire and review the City Manager and on occasion, other city staff members, and to oversee the safety of city residents through oversight of the local police.
Tina Courson Evans is a former Clarkesville City Commissioner and educator, having served as Director of Student Services in the Clarke County School System. She was first elected to the Clarkesville City Commission in 2007, to fill Joyce Wilbank’s unexpired term. She was re-elected in 2009. “I think I am the perfect person to help as a city council member. I can hit the ground running, as I am familiar with city programs and process,” Evans told Now Habersham when she filed her papers for the election. Evans states it is important that the city revitalize downtown Clarkesville and complete SPLOST projects.
Robert “Bobby” Kilgore is a retired Vice President of Morgan-Stanley in Florida and holds a degree in Finance. Bobby ran unsuccessfully against former Mayor Terry Greene in 2013. Kilgore feels developing downtown Clarkesville is very important and spoke at a recent City Commission meeting in favor of the newly passed alcohol amendment, which brought Clarkesville’s ordinance on alcohol beverages in-line with State law. Kilgore has been a resident of Clarkesville for 7 years, and feels controlled growth for the city is important. He volunteers with SRWA and was instrumental in the recent construction of the Pitts Park Soque River Overlook. He would like to see a workable solution to the Old County Courthouse in Clarkesville.
Clarkesville’s voting precinct is at the Ruby C. Fulbright Aquatic Center located at 120 Paul Franklin Road, Toccoa Highway, Clarkesville.
