After working for years to turn a section of southeast DeKalb County into the city of Stonecrest, Jason Lary will become the new municipality's first mayor.
Voters on Tuesday elected Lary as the inaugural leader of the city of 50,000 residents. Meanwhile in newly created South Fulton, residents won't know who will run their city until runoffs April 18.
Lary won a three-way race with just more than half the vote. As mayor, he said he’ll continue his effort to recruit businesses and jobs to the area near I-20 and Stonecrest Mall.
“This matches perfectly with my vision and the citizens’ vision of making the city of Stonecrest a robust economic engine,” Lary said Wednesday. “That’s what we’ve always wanted from Day 1, and now we get a chance to realize that opportunity through my leadership.”
In South Fulton, former Fulton County Commissioner Bill Edwards had a commanding lead in the nine-person race for mayor, but did not cross the 50-percent threshold to avoid a runoff. He will face Benny Crane in April. All of South Fulton’s City Council races are headed to runoffs.
Meanwhile:
- Cobb County voters approved a sales tax for public education. The special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) will pay for building new schools and buying equipment.
- In Fayette County, voters overwhelmingly approved their own SPLOST to pay for projects like transportation, stormwater infrastructure, public safety and facilities. It is their first to be approved in more than a decade.
- Loganville residents passed a measure that will allow Sunday sales of beer, wine and distilled liquor by the package.
- In Roswell, Lori Henry and Marie Willsey will go to a runoff for a City Council seat.
Voters approved the creation of the cities of South Fulton, which has a population of about 100,000, and Stonecrest in November.
The two cities boasted a combined 90 candidates for the city council and mayor posts. Twenty-two of those candidates are advancing to runoff elections.
Lary, a real estate investor and concert promoter, bested Charles Hill and Douglas Favors for the mayor’s seat.
Election results
Stonecrest mayor: Jason Lary
Stonecrest Council District 1: Jimmy Clanton Jr.
Stonecrest Council District 3: Jazzmin Cobble
Runoffs April 18
South Fulton Mayor: Bill Edwards and Benny Crane
South Fulton Council District 1: Catherine Rowell and Willie Davis
South Fulton Council District 2: Damita Chatman and Camalitha Gumbs
South Fulton Council District 3: Helen Willis and Louis Bell
South Fulton Council District 4: Naeema Gilyard and Mandisha Thomas
South Fulton Council District 5: Rosie Jackson and Corey Reeves
South Fulton Council District 6: Khalid Kamau and Charlean Parks
South Fulton Council District 7: Mark Baker and Linda Pritchett
Stonecrest Council District 2: Rob Turner and Plez Joyner
Stonecrest Council District 4: George Turner and Mary-Pat Hector
Stonecrest Council District 5: Diane Adoma and Tammy Grimes
For full results, please visit http://on-ajc.com/2n4sPwg
