Dissolve Development Authority, First on Wilson's List if Elected Mayor

Ron Wilson is running for mayor of Douglasville. If elected, he said the first thing he will do is dissolve the City's Development Authority.

"The first thing I would do is shut the Development Authority right down," he said. "The Development Authority for the City of Douglasville is the worst thing that ever happened to us. First, it costs the City $200,000 a year in payroll expenses. I would put that $200,000 back in the general fund."

Wilson said at the time when the City's Development Authority was re-created, there were plans by two companies to locate within the City, bringing about 1,300 jobs.

"But when the City took over, there was so much confusion both companies backed away," he said. "Word got out around the State that there's problems there. Douglas County is not friendly. The companies just said, 'We'll just go to Cobb and Fulton then.' The County has had nothing but problems from there.

"How you correct that is to dissolve the City's Development Authority and turn it back into one entity, the Douglas County Development Authority. We have to speak with one voice, one head. Five to eight of the current board members live in the City anyway."

Wilson is Chairman of the . "It's a position that has allowed me to be closer to the City and County, in terms of government," he said. "It's given me a lot of insight into what is going on."

Since he's been the Chairman, Wilson said that he has directly been involved in $1.2 billion in investment in Douglas County and there have been about 13,000 jobs brought here. And although he's never served in a municipal elected office, Wilson is not new to Douglasville or to Douglasville politics.

Born and raised in intercity Washington D.C., Wilson has lived in Douglasville for the past 37 years. He started his own business here, Jourdan Technologies, in 1980 and now has additional factories in Haralson County and Florida. In his Douglasville factory, Wilson employs 17 machinists who make a variety of metal parts that are shipped to various businesses across the country.

Wilson ran against Mayor Mickey Thompson in the 2007 election and ran for a seat in 2005, against former Dougasville Mayor Charlie Camp. Both runs were unsuccessful.

At age 65, Wilson said he realizes that even if he wins, this will be his "last hurrah," since he will be 71 by the time he finishes his first term.

"Looking back over the last eight years, where this city is going bothers me a lot," he said. "In 2002, the City had zero debt and now we are $52 million in debt. And it's senseless debt. As a businessman, you have to drag me kicking and screaming to get me into debt. I believe in being debt-free, pay as you go.

"I have some examples of where things went the wrong way," he said.

The City-owned was first on the list.

"Where I grew up, there were parks in every neighborhood. Our city lacks a family park where kids can just go to have a picnic or play. I thought the West Pines property could be that type of park. I tried to get that through to them but it didn't work.

"There isn't one city-owned golf course that is successful in Georgia. We borrowed money to renovate it and now the taxpayers are stuck for the next 16 years. It was predictable what happened."

Wilson said another example of an unnecessary City purchase includes the 136-acre piece of property the City now owns off Bright Star Rd.

"The City had the idea of building a sports park there then they found out from the land planner that they couldn't do it. Why buy that property at all. It's screwy.

"Then there's the Bright Star Rd. Connector. The City paid $2.6 million for the roadway and the land was donated by the developer for future consideration."

Wilson said that the connector could have been built for about half of that price, or less, or even been paid for by the developer.

"The future consideration for the developer includes about six parcels, I think, where the City gave the developer waivers on impact fees and permit fees, totalling about $2.4 million. Something stinks there.

"Why run? Because someone needs to stop this mess," he said. "All of my opposition has served on the City Council and voted for this stuff. I have been a taxpayer in the City of Douglasville for a long time and I keep seeing more of this stuff and it's on-going. I want to stop it."

Wilson has also served on the , and was a one of the founding participants in Leadership Douglas.

He has been married to his wife, Maxine, for the past 45 years. They have four adult children, one with special needs, and five grandchildren; Jordan, Jonathan, Joesph, Trayton and Kennedy. Wilson said he's active in the local special needs community and serves on the Douglas County Special Needs Services Board.

All of Wilson's children graduated from and still live in the area. Chris, his special needs son, still lives at home at works at .

Read Douglasville Patch stories on the three other candidates running for mayor: Rochelle Robinson, Terry Miller and Harvey Persons; and our .