Dougherty Commission Chair Chris Cohilas endorses Mayor Dorothy Hubbard in Dec. 3 runoff

ALBANY – Dougherty County’s highest-ranking elected official endorsed his counterpart in the Albany city government on Monday, citing Mayor Dorothy Hubbard as a leader who is low-key but produces results.

“If I had to sum up why I’m endorsing Dot, it’s because I’ve worked with her for five years and I’ve gotten to know her as a human and a person and a friend,” County Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas told The Herald during an interview following Monday’s Dougherty County Commission meeting. “I think a lot of time people don’t realize how much work she does behind the scenes.”

Hubbard, who is seeking a third term in the mayor’s seat, will face former Albany City Commission member Kermit “Bo” Dorough in the Dec. 3 runoff election for a four-year term. Hubbard finished first in the Nov. 3 municipal election with 30.25 percent of the vote, while Dorough garnered 27.7 percent of the vote.

Cohilas said that Hubbard’s efforts were exemplified during periods when the city was recovering from recent natural disasters, including in the aftermath of devastating storms in 2017 and Hurricane Michael in 2018. He said city and county officials held meetings starting as early as 6 a.m. for long periods of time during those efforts.

The Coats & Clark distribution center in east Albany was destroyed in one of the January 2017 storms, but by June 2018 a newly rebuilt North American distribution for the company was celebrated.

“I’ve worked with her on economic development,” Cohilas said of Hubbard. “She was instrumental in keeping Coats & Clark here after it was demolished.”

Hubbard also played an instrumental role in landing the $150 million Georgia-Pacific facility under construction on Sylvester Road, he said, and is respected by state elected officials in both political parties.

“The mayor brought the announcement that Delta is increasing its flights to Albany,” Cohilas said. “I don’t remember that ever happening (here) before. That’s what happens when you have leadership working behind the scenes.”

Most recently, a joint effort between city, county, state and federal officials resulted in the Georgia Bureau of Investigation establishing a regional drug task force in Albany that will cover more than 40 southwest Georgia counties.

The agency has agreed to train and equip local officers in that effort. Dougherty County and Albany provided a location near the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office and will assist with utilities and office personnel.

Charles Peeler, the U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, has agreed to prosecute cases against gang members and drug dealers in federal courts, where sentences generally are longer, Cohilas said.

“(The GBI) found a very open environment,” Cohilas said. “We worked behind the scenes to cut the red tape and get it done.

“To have a U.S. Attorney who lives in this community, and know cases are going to be prosecuted at the federal level, where it has teeth, is (huge),” he said. “We’re very grateful to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.”

While city and county governments often do not get along, Cohilas said that is not the case for Albany and Dougherty County, which often work together and “row in the same direction.”

Since he became chairman, Cohilas and Hubbard have had lunch once a month, which he says he thinks has helped build a good relationship between them.

“She’s just a very humble woman who works hard for our community,” he said.

Early voting in the mayor’s race and the City Commission Ward VI race between John Hawthorne and Demetrius Young will be held from 8:30a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 25, 26 and 27 at the Elections office in the downtown Government Center.

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