MOULTRIE — The four candidates for a seat on the Moultrie City Council bring diverse experience but all want to improve their district in Northwest Moultrie.

Margaret Mathis, John F. Bridges, Susie Magwood-Thomas and Lamonte Alderman are running for the Post 1, District 2 City Council seat. They are running to replace Councilwoman Betty Haggins, who did not seek re-election.



Lamonte Alderman

Alderman said he hopes to return to the council seat he held for eight years, from 1994 until 2002. He said he learned a lot while on the council and would like to continue the work that was started then.

One project Alderman said he would like to see completed is the Ryce Community Center. The original plans had for the center to have an amphitheater for church concerts and children’s plays and parking near the baseball park. He would also like to see drainage improvements in Northwest Moultrie and in all of Moultrie as well as utility bill help for the elderly and disabled.

Alderman said he has made some mistakes but learned from them, which has given him wisdom for another stint on the council.

“You have to build a house from the ground up,” Alderman said, “not the top down. If you build from the ground up, we’ll survive.”



John F. Bridges

Bridges said his work experience with Proctor & Gamble for 33 years is what the council needs. That job allowed him to develop leadership, instill accountability and ownership to self and others, and to identify the root cause of a problem and developing plans to solve the problem.

A lot of the problems concerning the city revolve around rising utility costs, Bridges said, and he said surveys must be conducted to analyze a plan to solve it. Educating people and making homes more energy efficient will help bring about a resolution, and Northwest Moultrie residents can then focus on other issues. He also wants to see a system of checks and balances in place to ensure the city is on the correct course to better the city and to make adjustments to correct any issues.

The chance to serve the city as a councilman is an opportunity to give back to this community, Bridges said. He hopes to bring accountability to the council and is committed to see change come to Moultrie, win or lose the election.

“If I am committed to do it,” Bridges said, “I am doing it. I made a commitment to myself to being a part (of the process).”



Susie Magwood-Thomas

Magwood-Thomas said she returned to Moultrie in 2006 after working for several years in advertising and publishing for Bell South. While living in Atlanta, she owned and operated two child care facilities and co-owned a training facility, among other community involvement.

She said the main reason she is running for the council is to use her expertise, skills and knowledge to work in unison with the council and city agencies and organizations, represent citizens of her district, and make Moultrie a clean, safe and productive place for everyone. She wants to see educational opportunities improved, reduce the crime rate, bring better housing and see utility rates decrease to make Moultrie a great place to live.

“My goal is to make a positive difference in the community that made such a positive difference in my life,” Magwood-Thomas said.



Margaret Mathis

Mathis said she served on the Moultrie-Colquitt County Planning Commission for eight years, and she does not take her candidacy lightly. She said she understands the needs of the community and wants the see the council do what is best for this city.

“I love this community,” Mathis said, “and I want to do what’s best for it.”

The dropout rate in Northwest Moultrie is 42 to 44 percent, which Mathis said is unacceptable. She believes education and addressing the rising utility rates are important for everyone in the community, and she promised to work to bring the community together and correct those problems.