Mike Sabot is challenging for a seat on Lee County Commission

LEESBURG — Mike Sabot has been a fixture at governmental meetings in Lee County for the past three years. He considers it job training.

It was about that time that Sabot became interested in local politics and began preparing himself for a potential seat on the Lee County Commission. In addition to attending most County Commission meetings, Sabot also was present at most of the Leesburg City Council and Smithville City Council meetings. He went through the Leadership Lee program and got involved in the Lee County chapter of the Republican Party, serving in several leadership roles. He also went to the Georgia Academy for Economic Development to improve his knowledge of economic development at the local level.

Now, Sabot is seeking the District 1 seat on the Lee County Commission against incumbent Dennis Roland, who also serves as vice chairman of the commission. The election is set for May 20.

After sitting through all those meetings, Sabot is not without opinions on county government.

He did not like recent interim county administrator Lynn Taylor and thought she was “tearing the county apart” regarding her relationship with employees. He thinks the commission could have found a better fire consultant than Skip Starling.

He’s also convinced there are many ways to improve the life of people in the rural portions of District 1 without spending a lot of money or having to pave roads.

‘I do believe the bill is coming due for putting off spending,” Sabot said. “That has been a fear of mine. It’s going to be a struggle to meet the needs. … I think the county actually has done fairly well. Between Rick (Muggridge) and Ed (Duffy), they have held the line on expenses and managed to do quite a few things.

The county has little discretionary money, Sabot said, and choices are on the horizon regarding fire protection, vehicle replacement, building maintenance and repaving. Despite the needs, Sabot says he’s not quick to raise taxes.

“There may come a point where a millage increase would be required to meet minimum needs, especially with all the things coming due,” he said. “If I ever voted for an increase, there would be stipulations that the increase be dedicated to a specific purpose and it would have to be either repealed or re-voted on four years later.,”

Sabot, 62, has been in Lee County for 12 years and is an IT professional with Habitat for Humanity in Americus. He’s worked as an IT professional, systems analyst and software developer for most of his career, primarily in the financial industry.

Sabot has been critical of Roland, contending that Roland has flip-flopped on several issues including the county’s golf course and the library conference center.

A self-described constitutional Republican, Sabot says he doesn’t want to be a politician.

“I’m not going to sugar coat things,” he said. “I am not a politically correct person. … If elected, I am not going to be a person who assumes I will serve a second or third term.”