If Rochelle Robinson is elected mayor of Douglasville, she said one of the first things residents will notice is a difference in cooperation and communication, especially between the city and the county.

“If you’re driving down the road and you’re going from a four-lane to a two-lane, you shouldn’t notice when a city road becomes a county road,” she said.  “I’m talking about when Cedar Mountain Road turns into Chicago Avenue. “You’re driving and suddenly you hit a bump. You look up and see it’s become a county road.

“I’m not talking about consolidation,” she said. “Taxpayers deserve services that are as seamless as possible. The (current) administration has been excellent in a lot of ways. There’s a strong, solid foundation to build on.”

Robinson announced she would throw her hat into the ring for mayor after Mayor Mickey Thompson’s announcement that he would not run for re-election in 2011 during his State of the City address on Jan. 18.

During his State of the City Address, Thompson himself admitted that, at times, the city and county have had "well-publicized disagreements."  He specifically pointed to the design of the intersection of the city's new Bright Star Road Connector with Bright Star Road, as well as how design and implementation costs would be prorated. He also mentioned the disagreement the two entities had concerning the responsibility for handling plan reviews and inspections for the new Douglas County Adult Detention and Law Enforcement Center.

Robinson's platform, she said, is built on honesty and transparency for “a more perfect union.”

“We’re divided in a lot of ways; either across the tracks or by north, south, east, west.  Services should be as equal as possible. Everyone should benefit from tax dollars.”

Robinson served from 2002 to 2006 as a Douglasville City Council Member, serving Ward 3, Post 2. She believes her experience gained as a councilwoman will be critical if elected as mayor.

“I think being on the council exposed me to how the city works,” she said. “I have the experience and already know things that someone who hasn’t served wouldn’t know. I’m familiar with the staff and how the city operates and can hit the ground running.”

Why run? “Because I believe I can make a difference,” she said. “I love serving the community. I believe I was born a servant at heart. I love the community and think I can do a good job.”

Robinson is an ordained minister and serves as co-pastor with her husband at their church, Total Renewal Church of God in Rex, GA.  She has been married to her husband, Jeffrey, for 15 years. They have three children, Joel, Olivia and Ana.

Currently Robinson holds appointments on several boards including:  Board of Directors for the Douglasville/Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority (Vice-Chair), the city of Douglasville’s Zoning Board, Douglas County’s Board of Elections and Registration (Vice-Chair), Alumni of the Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Douglas Program, Douglas County Cultural Arts Council, West Georgia Technical College’s Board of Directors and the WellStar Regional Hospitals’ Health Board. The most recent appointment is to serve on the Credentials Committee of the Church of God, for the State of Georgia.

She has also served in the Ohio Army National Guard and worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).