Primary draws crowded field for Clayton commission seats

In Clayton County, incumbency is not necessarily an advantage.

Consider two years ago, when voters rejected two of three County Commission members up for re-election, including the chairman. On May 20, two more commissioners will face opposition in a county that is tired of being the subject of jokes and wants to build on its improving economy and growing population.

“People are wanting change,” said Yulonda Beauford, the president and CEO of the Clayton County Chamber of Commerce. “They aren’t happy with what’s currently being done.”

The political climate in the county on the southern edge of metro Atlanta has transformed considerably since the 2012 commission election, and some think that is a predictor of the outcome of the Democratic primary later this month.

There are seven candidates for two seats. In District 1, incumbent Sonna Singleton faces challenges from Rosalilia “Rosa” Barbee, Joyce Baul and Richard Reagan — the same lineup that sought the Democratic nomination for the seat four years ago. Opposing District 4 Commissioner Michael Edmondson are Larry Bussey and Robbie Moore.

In this Democratic island in a strongly Republican state, whoever wins the primary later this month wins the office because there is no GOP candidate.

“Any time you have a lot of people interested, I guess that’s a sign you peeved a lot of people off or they think they can do a better job,” said Willie Oswalt, who for 43 years has been mayor of Lake City, a community of 2,600 wedged between Forest Park and Morrow.

It’s been better since the change two years ago, he says. A lot of the intracounty feuding is gone, and the seven cities and Clayton seem to be working together instead of against each other, Oswalt said.

“We can talk to one another,” he said. “We’re all on the same page. We work together. ”

But more change is needed, some of the candidates and local officials say.

One major issue, Beauford said, is the public transportation void created when the previous commission four years ago shut down the county-run bus system to save money. Clayton voters may decide later this year whether they want to join the MARTA system, which will come with a slight sales tax increase. But there also remains the option of restarting the county’s system.

“People want to see transportation back in Clayton County,” she said.

With that, some say jobs will follow, a concern expressed by all seven candidates running for the two seats.

The seven candidates all promise the same thing: to bring jobs to Clayton, to return public transportation to the county, to improve the economy. The two incumbents, however, say there have already been improvements and there just need to be more.

Here’s a breakdown of the four candidates in District 1:

• Barbee has been a vocal and frequent critic of county leaders. She has pushed for criminal charges against commissioners, coming to public meetings with allegations of wrongdoing involving county funds and using government employees to work on their campaigns. A grand jury investigated the allegations, but no charges were brought. Barbee did not respond to requests for an interview.

• Baul says public transportation and improving the county's image are key concerns. "The county needs new leadership," Baul said. Baul thinks Clayton should become a part of the MARTA system so prospective employers will be confident "people can get to work."

• Reagan, a one-term Clayton County commissioner in the late 1990s, ran unsuccessfully for this seat four years ago. He said he wants to take advantage of the "tons and tons of foreclosures" he sees as well as unused prime commercial property. Public transportation also is a top issue. He likes the MARTA option, which would involve a slight sales tax increase, but he opposes any public system funded completely by local taxpayers.

• Singleton says her work in just the past two years since the most recent election was built on the accomplishments of the previous commission. Still, she has consistently been on the losing side of votes that seem to be 3-2 regardless of the issue. "I believe the people are satisfied with my record of service in the past two terms," Singleton said. She points to the openings of a new police precinct, senior center and library and the possibility of a new recreation center. Singleton agrees the county needs a mass transit system but hasn't decided whether Clayton should join MARTA or run a separate system. Singleton said she will decide once she sees the results of a feasibility study.

Here’s the District 4 breakdown:

• Bussey, who lost a bid for Clayton County sheriff four years ago, says he wants to ensure senior citizens have a "voice" and put more work into creating a public transportation system, a thriving educational system, extensive infrastructure and a strong health care system. All those things are necessary to persuade businesses to locate in Clayton, Bussey said. He said the little things — streetlights and sidewalks — also need attention.

• Edmondson, running for a third term, wants MARTA to come to Clayton, and he takes credit for getting a referendum about joining the system on the November ballot. He said he has worked to "aggressively" market the county and has opposed increasing property taxes. At the same time, he said he has been behind efforts to increase public safety funding, "to save the hospital" and to bring jobs to Clayton that pay "livable wages."