Councilman Tony Powell is resigning from the Lawrenceville City Council at the end of 2018 in order to fulfill a campaign promise he made when he first ran for the position.
Powell announced his resignation at the Dec. 3 City Council meeting. When he first ran for council in 2010, he campaigned partially on believing in a term limit of eight years, split between two four-year terms.
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When Powell was elected, Lawrenceville councilmembers served two-year terms. During his second term, the city changed those terms to four-year terms, which extended his term to three years while those changes were being implemented. He was last elected in 2015 to a four-year term, which ends in 2019.
Because the end of 2018 marks eight years on council for Powell, he is resigning and forgoing the last year of his term.
“At the end of this year my term will have run out, and my intention is to keep my word,” Powell said. “It is my intention to resign and allow this body to appoint my successor, who will have a year to serve.”
After announcing this at the council meeting, he suggested that the council appoint Lawrenceville resident Victoria Jones to finish his term. Powell said he began a mentorship with Jones about a year ago.
Jones, who serves on the Lawrenceville downtown development authority, would be the first black member of Lawrenceville City Council, something that Powell said was important to him. Two African-American friends of Powell’s recently had a baby, which made him realize how important it would be for council to have a black member, he said.
“It is my wish for this council for that baby to never know the day when she does not have the opportunity to sit on this council,” Powell said.
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