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Final Candidates Set For Atmore City Elections, Longtime Mayor Out
July 23, 2012
The final field of candidates is set for Atmore’s city elections, and the candidates will explain their platforms at a political forum next week.
After a total of more than two decades in office, Mayor Howard Shell (pictured) won’t seek re-election. He was first elected to the Atmore City Council 1984 before being appointed mayor after the death of then-Mayor Patricia McKenzie. After winning the mayor’s race twice, he remained in office until being beaten in 1996 by Rodney Owens, an Atmore chiropractor. He returned to office in 2000 and is serving his third term since returning to office.
In District 4, incumbent John Garrard is not running for re-election, while in District 5, incumbent Jim Staff has tossed his name into the mayor’s race. In District 3, there are no challengers for incumbent Chris Walker.
Qualified candidates are as follows:
- Mayor — Lloyd Albritton, Bernard Bishop, Jim Staff
- District 1 – Webb Nall (incumbent), Chad Thrower
- District 2 – Cornell Torrence (incumbent), Thomas S. “Teddy” McNeal
- District 3 – Chris Walker (incumbent)
- District 4 – Larry Houck, Phil Johnson, Susan Smith
- District 5 – Gregg Akins, Michael Arnold, Sandra Gray, Chris Harrison
The Leadership Atmore Alumni Association, a non-partisan group, will hold a candidate forum on Thursday, August 2 at 5:30 p.m. at The Club, 1927 Highway 21 in Atmore.
Comments
3 Responses to “Final Candidates Set For Atmore City Elections, Longtime Mayor Out”
@mr. Sherman
Why you ask? The answer is very easy. Why would you vote the other 2 candidates in. They have no record of city politics. They know nothing of the state of the city in regards to where we are with Rivercane or the road improvements situation.
The city would be foolish to put the others in office. Lack of experience is a better phrase. Mr. Albritton and Mr. Bishop seem to be great people but lack in experience. Maybe they should have run for city council first, then made a run for mayor.
All in all, this is the most important election Atmore has ever faced, and not to vote for Mr. Staff would be foolish. He knows where Atmore stands in regards to the Rivercane project as well as the other issues and he is the best candidate because of it.
Even he is a part of the old regime, you still need him in there to finish the Rivercane project, which holds the key to Atmore’s future.
The other day, as I was driving up Main Street after a shopping in Pensacola, I noticed a sign near the First Assembly of God church. It was blue with white lettering and said “Elect Jim Staff Mayor”. As I continued on toward home I thought about the sign, I thought that it was incomplete, that it lacked one word … WHY?
In this election year, one politician after another is running for some office or other and every one of them is running for that office based upon their record, their record of accomplishments and their record of the things they have done for their constituents. After more than 25 years of public service you would expect that Jim Staff would have a long and lengthy record of city accomplishments to parade before the citizens of Atmore, but this is not really the case.
In his more than 25 years of service to the people of Atmore as a city councilman, he has had only one consistent accomplishment. He has ALWAYS done EXACTLY what Howard Shell told him to do. Under the Shell administration all votes for anything were unanimous, there was rarely any open discussion of any matter and most City Council meetings were over and done in 20 minutes. That is remarkable, truly remarkable, that ALL city business for a month could be introduced, discussed and concluded in just 20 minutes.
I remember when Rodney Owens was mayor, the council didn’t always agree on everything, the meetings were open and freewheeling, they took longer to decide issues and people, concerned citizens, got to ask questions, and somehow the city is still here. Government is ugly, and a democracy is rarely in TOTAL agreement ALL of the time. Governments that ARE in total agreement ALL of the time are called dictatorships. Does the City of Atmore really need a follower as a leader?
the mayor race will be interesting.
lloyd albritton ran for county sheriff last year, and lost. It is hard to believe someone who has never lived in atmore until recently expects to hold the cities highest office.
Jim staff seems to have just thrown his hat in the race as a after thought
Bernard bishop is remaining rather quiet right now so not much is known about him.
I look forward to hearing about their positions and thoughts on things as the city needs leadership.