Candidates interested in filling the Dalton City Council seat vacated last month by Charlie Bethel have until Friday to get their names in the hat.
Just one person, Gary Crews, a Realtor and manager of a local medical practice, had qualified by Tuesday afternoon, City Clerk Bernadette Chattam said.
Mr. Crews also is chairman of the Whitfield County Republican Party, but the City Council race is nonpartisan.
Qualifying costs $360 and requires completion of a two-page registration packet that must be notarized, Ms. Chattam said. Qualification closes at 4:30 p.m. Friday, and candidates must live in Ward 4 to run.
The city election will be July 20.
The race is necessary because Mr. Bethel resigned from his seat to run as a Republican for the Georgia House of Representatives. He later changed his mind and decided to run for the Senate seat being vacated by the retiring Don Thomas, R-Dalton.
Mr. Crews said he is running for the council as a continuation of his long-standing community involvement.
“I’ve been involved for a very long time, and I see this position as the next step in my community support,” Mr. Crews said, adding that if another Republican joins the race or if he wins, he will resign his party chairmanship.
Whoever replaces Mr. Bethel on the council will serve the remainder of the term, which amounts to about 31/2 years, Dalton Mayor David Pennington said.
HOW TO RUNQualifying for the open Dalton City Council seat ends Friday at 4:30 p.m. Qualification papers can be picked up at the city clerk’s office at 300 W. Waugh St. It costs $360 to run, and the paperwork must be notarized.
In that time, the mayor said, he would like to work alongside an alderman who shares the council’s views on making Dalton an appealing place to locate a business and for young professionals to live.
“You’ve got to be someone who loves Dalton and has a passion for it,” Mr. Pennington said. “We can’t have someone who is just running to run.”
Dalton’s council consists of four aldermen and a mayor. Ward 4, the position that is open, spans the city.
Mr. Pennington, Mr. Bethel and Alderman Denise Wood began their terms in January 2008. Councilman J. Richard Lowery began his term in January 2005.
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