Elections

Beltline/ Elections/ Metro ATL/ Politics

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announces transition team, begins search for cabinet members

Ellie Ritter 01/18/2018

Keisha Lance Bottoms. CREDIT KAITLIN KOLARIK / WABE

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has announced her transition team members, who will lead search committees for key cabinet positions for the her administration, according to a City of Atlanta press release.

Each search committee will seek to identify and evaluate candidates for the following cabinet positions: General Manager of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Chief Procurement Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Education Officer, Fire Chief, Commissioner of Human Resources and Chief Information Officer.

“As we work to ensure that all Atlantans have the opportunity to share in our city’s success, it is imperative that we find the right department leaders,” Bottoms said. “I look forward to the recommendations put forth by the search committees, as I am confident they will identify qualified candidates who share in my commitment to providing excellent services while advancing equity, affordability and mobility in our city.”

Bottoms also announced that Jason Carter, a former gubernatorial candidate and former state senator, and Milton J. Little, Jr., president & CEO of the United Way of Greater Atlanta, would serve as co-chairs of her policy advisory committee. According to the release, the policy advisory committee will provide guidance and counsel to the mayor on issues including affordability, criminal justice reform, education, economic opportunity, procurement and ethics reform. The policy advisory committee will also appoint additional members representing diverse community groups. Additionally, other policy committees will be created based on community feedback for areas such as the arts, parks and green space and the LGBTQ community.

Co-chairs to lead each of the cabinet search committees are as follows:

General Manager of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

David Abney, Chairman & CEO, UPS
Carol Tomé, CFO & Executive Vice President, The Home Depot, Inc.

Chief Procurement Officer

Douglas J. Hertz, Chairman & CEO, United Distributors, Inc.
Shan Cooper, Chief Transformation Officer, WestRock

Chief Operating Officer

Larry Gellerstedt, Chairman of the Board & CEO of Cousins Properties
Vicki Palmer, former Executive Vice President, Finance & Administration of Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc.

Chief Education Officer

Bill Rogers, Chairman & CEO, SunTrust Banks, Inc.
Virginia Hepner, Former Corporate Executive & Arts Leader

Fire Chief

Keith Parker, President & CEO, Goodwill of North Georgia
Dr. Catherine Ross, Professor of City Planning & Civil Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology

Commissioner of Human Resources

Marty Flanagan, President & CEO, Invesco Ltd.
Helen Smith Price, Vice President, Global Community Affairs, The Coca-Cola Company and President, The Coca-Cola Foundation

Chief Information Officer

Claire Lewis “Yum” Arnold, CEO, Leapfrog Services
David Cummings, CEO, Atlanta Ventures

Beltline/ Elections/ Metro ATL/ Politics

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms names Marva Lewis as chief of staff

Ellie Ritter 01/15/2018

Atlanta City Hall. Photo by Bbenrath, obtained via Wikimedia Commons

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has announced that Marva Lewis will serve as her chief of staff, according to a City of Atlanta press release.

As chief of staff, Lewis will help advise the mayor on legislative and policy issues while also serving as a “liaison to the public and private sectors in fostering partnerships and the development of revenue generating initiatives,” the release said. The chief of staff also supervises external affairs and international relations, constituents services, communications and human services, as well as special events and special projects.

According to the release, Lewis brings more than 15 years of experience in human resources to the position, including talent management, employee relations, and change management.

“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Marva Lewis as Chief of Staff for my Administration. As an accomplished executive and community leader, Marva brings a wealth of expertise to the position,” Bottoms said. “Her knowledge and experience as a human resources executive will be an invaluable asset to the City of Atlanta.”

Prior to her appointment, Lewis served as vice president of human resources for Cousins Properties, the release said. She also served as the global human resources initiatives leader for Equifax Inc. At Equifax, Lewis also served as assistant vice president of global talent acquisition where she streamlined the strategy, development, and execution of all recruitment functions.

“I am honored by the opportunity to serve the City of Atlanta and join the Bottoms Administration as chief of staff,” Lewis said. “I look forward to working with Mayor Bottoms as we work to create safe communities, expand access to transit, and economic opportunity for all Atlantans.”

Beltline/ Elections/ Politics

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announces transition team

Dan Whisenhunt 01/11/2018

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has announced a 38-member transition team that will assist her in her first days as Atlanta’s mayor.

Bottoms was sworn in on Jan. 2.

The team includes several prominent members of the business community, including leaders at companies like Coca Cola, Cousins Properties and Delta.

“I am pleased to announce my Administration’s transition team and am thankful to both Larry Gellerstedt and Vicki Palmer for their leadership and expertise in recruiting leaders who share my commitment to improving communities throughout our City,” Bottoms said in a press release. “I look forward to working with this thoughtful, committed and experienced group who I trust will help my Administration build a team focused on ensuring that all Atlantans can participate in our City’s growth and success.”

Here’s the full press release from the mayor’s office:

ATLANTA – Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced today the members of her transition team. The team is tasked with providing advice and counsel to Mayor Bottoms as she recruits and appoints key positions within her Administration and formalizes her first term agenda.

“I am pleased to announce my Administration’s transition team and am thankful to both Larry Gellerstedt and Vicki Palmer for their leadership and expertise in recruiting leaders who share my commitment to improving communities throughout our City,” said Mayor Bottoms. “I look forward to working with this thoughtful, committed and experienced group who I trust will help my Administration build a team focused on ensuring that all Atlantans can participate in our City’s growth and success.”

The 38-member team, co-chaired by Larry Gellerstedt, Chairman of the Board & CEO of Cousins Properties, and Vicki R. Palmer, former Executive Vice President, Finance and Administration of Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc., includes a cross-section of constituents with diverse backgrounds, interests and skills sets.

“Larry and I are privileged to work with Mayor Bottoms and this esteemed group of leaders,” said Vicki Palmer. “The individuals selected represent sectors and communities across the city, and I am confident that their advice and counsel will be invaluable to this Administration.”

The Bottoms Administration transition team includes:

David Abney, Chairman & CEO, UPS
John Ahmann, Executive Director, Westside Future Fund
Byron Amos, Atlanta Public Schools Board Member, District 2
Claire Lewis “Yum” Arnold, CEO, Leapfrog Services
Ed Bastian, CEO, Delta
Randy Beall, Business Manager, Atlanta and North Georgia Building and Construction Trades
Raphael Bostic, President & CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
Matt Bronfman, CEO, Jamestown
Cassius F. Butts, Former Obama Appointee and CEO, Capital Fortitude Business Advisors
Senator Jason Carter, Partner, Bondurant Mixson & Elmore LLP
Ron Clark, Founder, The Ron Clark Academy
Shan Cooper, Chief Transformation Officer, WestRock
David Cummings, CEO, Atlanta Ventures
Mawuli Mel Davis, Attorney & Co-Founder, The Davis Bozeman Law Firm
Rene Diaz, President & CEO, The Diaz Group
Christopher R. Edwards, MD, Fellowship Trained Spine Surgeon, Atlanta Neuro Spine Institute, LLC
David H. Eidson, President & CEO, Coxe Curry & Associates
Sloane Evans, Vice President, Human Resources, Georgia Power Company
Marty Flanagan, President & CEO, Invesco Ltd.
Clifford “TI” Harris, Grammy Award Winning Rapper, Actor, Entrepreneur & Activist
Virginia Hepner, Former Corporate Executive & Arts Leader
Douglas J. Hertz, Chairman & CEO, United Distributors, Inc.
Nancy Flake Johnson, President & CEO, Urban League of Greater Atlanta, Inc.
Noel Khalil, Chairman & CEO, Columbia Ventures LLC
Allegra Lawrence-Hardy, Founding Partner, Lawrence & Bundy LLC
Kenny Leon, Tony Award Winning Director & Founder, True Colors Theatre Company
Milton J. Little, Jr. President & CEO, United Way of Greater Atlanta
Amol Naik, Director of Special Projects, MailChimp
Keith T. Parker, President & CEO, Goodwill of North Georgia
Beatriz Perez, Senior Vice President, Chief Public Affairs, Communications & Sustainability Officer, The Coca-Cola Company
Cecil Phillips, Chairman & CEO, Place Properties
Helen Smith Price, Vice President, Global Community Affairs, The Coca-Cola Company and President, The Coca-Cola Foundation
Michael “Killer Mike” Render, Artist, Activist, & Businessman
A.J. Robinson, President, Central Atlanta Progress, Inc./Atlanta Downtown Improvement District
Bill Rogers, Chairman & CEO, SunTrust Banks, Inc.
Dr. Catherine Ross, Professor of City Planning and Civil Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
Carol Tomé, CFO & Executive Vice President, The Home Depot, Inc.
Reverend Raphael G. Warnock, Senior Pastor, Ebenezer Baptist Church

Beltline/ Elections/ Metro ATL/ Politics

Keisha Lance Bottoms sworn in as Atlanta mayor

Ellie Ritter 01/03/2018

Keisha Lance Bottoms was sworn in as Atlanta’s 60th mayor on Tuesday.

According to a press release from the City of Atlanta, Mayor Bottoms took the oath of office at the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College with an audience of more than 2,000 residents, community representatives, dignitaries, and elected officials.

Bottoms beat Mary Norwood in the bitterly contested Dec. 5 runoff election. Norwood didn’t officially concede to Bottoms until two weeks after the election and asked for a recount. The recount determined that Bottoms received 832 more votes out of about 92,000 votes cast, according to Fox 5.

In her first remarks as mayor, Bottoms made commitments to prioritize housing affordability, transparency, public safety, education, and transportation in her first 100 days in office.

“I am honored to have the privilege of serving the people of Atlanta, and I am thrilled to serve as only the second woman mayor of our great city,” Bottoms said. “As the 60th mayor of Atlanta, I will seek a new understanding, one grounded in civility and productive dialogue, to build a greater Atlanta. Within my first 100 days in office, we will take measurable actions to prioritize equity, affordability, a stronger school system, and access to transit. The theme of our campaign was ‘Keep Atlanta moving forward, leaving no one behind,’ and that is what I intend to do as mayor.”

During her inaugural address, Bottoms pledged to invest $1 billion in housing affordability – the largest affordable housing investment in the city’s history, according to the release. She also promised to introduce a sweeping ethics and transparency reform package in order to “ensure the city’s contracting and procurement process is beyond reproach.”

Bottoms, an advocate for education, announced multiple commitments to improving education, the press release said. She plans to appoint a Chief Education Officer to her senior staff to act as a liaison between the administration and Atlanta Public Schools, and she intends to establish a college savings account initiative for all students enrolling in Atlanta Public Schools.

Additionally, Mayor Bottoms announced her goal of achieving a AAA credit rating, the highest rating possible for a municipal government, for the first time in Atlanta’s history. She announced an expansion of the Clean City Initiative to improve Atlanta’s highways as well.

“Thanks to generations of tremendous leadership, the bar has been set incredibly high for our city. I thank everyone for your belief in me, and for your belief that, as one Atlanta, we can raise the bar higher still,” Bottoms said.

To read Mayor Bottoms’ remarks as prepared, click here.

Beltline/ Elections/ Politics

Mary Norwood concedes to Keisha Lance Bottoms two weeks after mayoral runoff

Dan Whisenhunt 12/21/2017

Mary Norwood Photo obtained via http://citycouncil.atlantaga.gov/14.htm

Atlanta’s mayoral runoff happened two weeks ago on Dec. 5, resulting in an apparent victory for Councilmember Keisha Lance Bottoms.

But Norwood held off on conceding the race and asked for a recount, which confirmed the result of the election.

On Dec. 20, Norwood conceded the race in a message to supporters.

“I wish my opponent a term of governance that embodies the same tenets that my campaign did— embracing every Atlantan and working hard for all Atlantans with grace and dignity,” Norwood said.

Here is a copy of Norwood’s letter:

For my entire adult life, Atlanta has been known as “The City Too Busy to Hate.” Over the past five decades, this message has been our carefully protected and cultivated Brand – a promise that Atlanta has offered to everyone— no matter who you are or where you were born. I found this to be true in the beginning of my career in civic affairs, as I worked diligently to help protect and maintain our neighborhoods, our quality of life, and the beauty of this great City.

I was humbled to be elected as a Citywide City Council member twice, which allowed me to get to know and serve all of Atlanta’s various communities and 242 neighborhoods. Wherever I went, I was met with openness and kindness.

Eight years ago, I was encouraged to run for Mayor. A year ago, I was encouraged again…and I knew that if I had the power of the Mayor’s office, I could affect positive change and make much-needed improvements that had eluded me as a member of City Council.

My vision was to expand the aforementioned theme…to unite Atlanta around a great purpose. To improve upon Atlanta as a place where anyone – regardless of race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, or orientation – could feel comfortable building a business, raising a family, and being involved in the wonderful activities found in a great city.

I have always believed that Atlanta could be THE city that moved beyond the divisions that plague many of America’s communities; one that could serve as a shining example for the world as we charge further into the 21 st Century.

As someone who has been involved in politics, I know that it is a rough and tumble game, but I was appalled at the misrepresentations of me personally and others connected to me. I was stunned to see that I—a woman who had faithfully and equitably served all Atlantans for over two decades – was accused of being a racist who would turn back the clock to 1950. The election was made out to be all about race and the campaign was divisive.

From the start, my goal was different. I was committed to running a campaign that traversed our entire city. Our campaign was always about embracing everyone in all of our diverse communities. And I am proud to know that 45,000 Atlantans agreed with this vision.

These supporters deserved my best analysis of the election, and for the past two weeks, that is what has been done. It has been exhausting and painful, but it was important to me to do so for their sake and for everyone who believes in our vision of Atlanta—a City that is better together than it is divided.

The process is now complete and although there were some irregularities with the election, I have decided not to contest it. I thank everyone who came forward to report polling situations and ballot issues that were concerning. We are grateful.

Throughout this process, I also consulted with trusted advisors and leaders in the community. For the future of this city, I believe it is the right thing to do to move on… and hold the new administration accountable to serve this great city well.

I wish my opponent a term of governance that embodies the same tenets that my campaign did— embracing every Atlantan and working hard for all Atlantans with grace and dignity.

I will never forget each individual who worked so hard on my campaign. It has been a long and important journey and I am grateful to you all. You are the BEST of Atlanta.

Thank you and God bless,

Mary Norwood

Beltline/ Elections/ Politics/ WABE

Recount doesn’t change outcome of Atlanta mayoral race

Atlanta Loop 12/17/2017

A recount Thursday of Atlanta’s mayoral race didn’t change the results of the election. CREDIT MARTHA DALTON / WABE

By MARTHA DALTON, WABE

A recount Thursday in the Atlanta mayoral runoff ended with the same result: Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms won.

Independent candidate Mary Norwood asked for a recount of votes cast on machines, and she requested a hand recount of paper ballots, like absentee forms.

Fulton and DeKalb counties complied with the first request but didn’t recount paper ballots by hand.

“We aren’t prescribed by law to do that,” Fulton County Elections Director Rick Barron said.

The law doesn’t prevent counties from hand-counting ballots, but both Fulton and DeKalb denied that part of Norwood’s request.

“We are only going to do what the law says,” Barron said.

DeKalb officials said they followed Fulton’s lead, since Fulton had the majority of votes in the race.

“Our attorneys advised us that it was best to reach out to Fulton,” said DeKalb Elections Director Erica Hamilton. “We reached out to Fulton and saw how they were going to handle it. We handled it in that same manner.”

Norwood has until Monday to decide whether to contest the results of Thursday’s recount.

In Fulton County, Norwood gained five votes. Bottoms lost six. Still, Bottoms had 2,219 more votes than Norwood. DeKalb County officials said their recount showed the same result as the Dec. 5 election: Norwood earned 1,387 more votes than Bottoms. According to those counts, Bottoms earned 832 votes more than Norwood.

In a letter to county elections officials, Norwood said she heard of cases where voters who don’t live in the city of Atlanta were allowed to vote in the mayoral election.

Norwood’s campaign says she has filed an open records request with the city of Atlanta to make sure everyone who voted in the mayor’s race is a city resident.

This story was provided by WABE.

Beltline/ Elections/ Politics

Report: Bottoms claims victory and Norwood calls for recount in mayoral race

Dan Whisenhunt 12/06/2017

Keisha Lance Bottoms, left, and Mary Norwood, Right

The Dec. 5 runoff ended with an apparent Keisha Lance Bottoms victory, but her opponent, Mary Norwood, wants a recount.

According to WABE, Bottoms led Norwood by 759 votes. Norwood did not concede on election night.

“Because it’s within the 1 percent, we will be asking for a recount,” Norwood said, according to WABE.

To read the full story, click here.

In the race for City Council President, Councilmember Felicia Moore defeated Councilmember Alex Wan, drawing 55 percent of the vote to Wan’s 45 percent.

There were several runoff races on the Dec. 5 ballot.

To see the full results on the AJC.com’s website, click here.

Beltline/ Elections/ Politics/ Zero Mile

Zero Mile – Dear Mayor, Make Atlanta Great Again

Nicki Salcedo 12/06/2017

The Zero Mile Post marked the meeting of two railway lines and possibly the beginning of the city of Atlanta. Zero Mile is a series of sometimes fictionalized and sometimes real stories based on life in Atlanta, Georgia.

By Nicki Salcedo, columnist

Dear Mayor,

I wish we’d stop blowing things up in Atlanta. It might be related to our fiery past. Blazing march to the sea and crosses in flames. Bombs in the park blowing things up. Bombs in the stadium imploding things down. We scar the side of a granite mountain with picks and axes then call it a monument. We are immune to destruction.

But we don’t like it.

Atlanta shouldn’t be a city of fire, rebirth, and redemption. Atlanta should be a city where we build with sustainability in mind. We are a city of granite, marble, and brick.

We are a city in the trees. They rise above us and give us shade. We are unlike any city with our green spaces. The trees make us feel small. The parks help us feel grand. Don’t cut the trees down without planting new ones. Don’t steal the open spaces.

Don’t push the forgotten people away. You can tell a lot about a city by who stands at a bus stop. We are your constituents, too.

We are poor and underpaid and overlooked. We are neglected until you tear down our churches for your stadiums, proving you serve no God but yourself and love no neighbor unless it will line your pockets with more money. We are not ignorant of your power.

You give tax credits to Hollywood, but not books for every student. Believe me, I enjoy see Thor filming on Broad Street. We all enjoy seeing Thor. But the economic strength of our future is not with superheroes, but in communities.

Dear Mayor, do you want to make Atlanta great? Again? Let us help you.

Listen to us.

Give our children opportunities that are not crime. Give our neighbors solace that is not opioids. Do not give support and sympathy for one type of drug addict while neglecting the others.

Remember us.

Our children. Our elderly. Our friends.

Your ideas should reflect the voice of the people. A true leader makes choices not for personal gain, but civic good. Encourage those who work in thankless jobs to do their jobs with pride. Prove to us that you are willing to do the tough jobs with humility without accolades. Create opportunities for trades and craft and artists and farmers.

Our city is a fertile ground for perseverance and creativity.

I don’t want things to stay the same. I like change. I like progress. Atlanta needs progress with a purpose and change with a plan.

We need a legacy. Not the flames, not the confederacy of dunces we’ve become. Atlanta was built to be a crossroads, an intersection, the zero mile point in a long journey.

Take us into the future.

We are erroneously remembered for our Civil War past and our celebrity housewives. Shame on us. There are men and women who stay at home and work from home who can show you the real “real” of Atlanta.

There is laundry to be done. Dogs to be walked. We care for our parents and our children and our jobs.

Atlanta is the kindest place I’ve ever known. Remember this.

I have received hugs from strangers in the airport and at the grocery store and in the early hours of Piedmont Park.

We are a city of runners and cyclists.

We area city of artists and innovators.

We are a city of spiritual people.

My day is improved when a stranger says “Good morning.” It happens every day. I meet the eyes of someone I don’t know, and we smile. We are the best of this city.

I ask this city, this new mayor, to provide opportunities for all. I ask for this city to be a safe shelter from crime. If you are a good mayor, a true mayor you will make these things a priority.

Remember the trees and grass.

Remember those students who need books. Remember those kids who need opportunities.

Remember the people at the bus stop in the rain.

Remember the tallest building and highest officials are often brought down to dust. That’s history again and again.

Make Atlanta great. Again. And again. Surround yourself with the people. Look us in the eye. Humble yourself. You are our servant. In order for you to be great, make us all great. Not again, but always.

Nicki Salcedo knows the loops and the back roads of Atlanta. She is a novelist, blogger and working mom. Zero Mile stories appear on the Atlanta Loop on Wednesdays.

Beltline/ Elections

Cathy Woolard backing Mary Norwood to be Atlanta’s next mayor

Dan Whisenhunt 11/29/2017

Cathy Woolard has formally endorsed Mary Norwood to be Atlanta’s next mayor, a move that could possibly seal her victory in the Dec. 5 runoff.

Woolard came in third in the mayoral race and her endorsement was widely anticipated. Norwood will face Keisha Lance Bottoms in the runoff election.

“I am honored to accept the endorsement of Cathy Woolard for Atlanta Mayor,” Norwood said in a Facebook post. “She said it perfectly: ethics, integrity and the way we grow are deciding issues. I am excited to campaign arm in arm with her through Election Day. And I hope I can call on her expertise if elected mayor, as we grow this city in a way that is ethical, equitable and puts our neighborhoods first.”

Norwood has also received the endorsements of Former mayor Shirley Franklin, former city COO Peter Aman, and City Council President Ceasar Mitchell. Mitchell and Aman were also running for mayor but didn’t get enough votes to make it into the runoff.

Bottoms is endorsed by Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and is widely seen as his heir apparent. She’s also been endorsed by City Councilmember Kwanza Hall, another mayoral contender.