Edward B. Pope Jr. announces District 1 city council candidacy

EDWARD B. POPE JR.

Washington City Councilman Edward B. Pope Jr. has announced his candidacy to keep his District 2 seat on the council. He was appointed to fillthe unexpired term of Anna Norman last fall when he was the only candidate to run for the office.

"It is my desire to continue serving the people of District 2," he said. "I've held the seat for almost a year, but I'll feel more in touch with the people offering my candidacy for District 2, to serve the people of Washington for the next four years if they'll let me."

During his year on the council, he said, he has learned a great deal about municipal government. With other city leaders, Pope attended the Georgia Academy for Economic Development's 2007 Region 7 Multi- Day Training Program and other Georgia Municipal Association programs, workshops, and conferences during the past year.

"This first year in officehas been good training, and I feel I'm better prepared now to represent our district," he said, "and I feel I'm prepared to face the projects and make the decisions that will be necessary to move our city forward."

A strong, educated workforce and continued support for local industry are issues of great importance for Pope, who was head of human resources at Washington Manufacturing for some three decades. "I want to see our citizens receive a better education in order to meet the demands of the new industrial work force," he said. "We need both strong work ethics and good education to attract industries to come here."

Strong work ethics, Pope says, are also important for elected officials and city workers.

And, while attracting and keeping the area's industrial base is a top priority, Pope sees the growing value of tourism dollars now flowing to the area. "I believe we need a strong mix of industry and tourism in order for our city to prosper. We must have that balance for a strong and diverse economy."

The city has significantprojects on the horizon, Pope said, and he's looking forward to taking part in them. "I'm ready to make the necessary decisions to move the city forward in the coming years," with projects like the Southwest Washington Redevelopment Plan now underway and others.

Edward Pope Jr. has been the husband of Susan Pope for 38 years, and they are the parents of three grown children and they have three grandchildren. They are active in First Baptist Church in Washington.

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