Albany Wards I, IV, VI seats up for grabs

ALBANY — With so many potential candidates expressing interest in or actually announcing intentions to run for the Albany mayor’s office, little attention has been paid to the “other” races that will be part of the Nov. 5 municipal election.

In addition to the mayor’s seat, the Wards I, IV and VI seats, currently held by Jon Howard, Roger Marietta and Tommie Postell, respectively, will be up for re-election. And each seat offers its own unique twist.

The one thing that’s certain about the three commission seats up for grabs is that Marietta, who is serving out the final year of his third session in office, will seek a fourth four-year term on the commission.

“I think this current board has done some good things for our community, with the (planned and ongoing installation of) LED lighting, the debris cleanup after Hurricane Michael, the (ongoing) overhaul of the sewer system, the intergovernmental agreement with the county to get a T-SPLOST referendum before the citizens so that they can decide if they want it,” Marietta said. “This current commission works pretty well together; we usually agree on about 95 percent of the issues that come before us.

“It’s that other 5 percent where the fireworks take place.”

Marietta has had no serious challenge for his seat, but one intriguing rumor making the rounds is that his long-time supporter, former Boys and Girls Clubs CEO Bob Hutchinson, will attempt to gain the seat.

In Ward I, Jon Howard — the longest-serving member of the commission with 25 years in office — has said this four-year term will be his last. But that’s what he said the last time he ran … and the time before that … and the time …

Howard, 63, is unbeatable in his ward if he does decide to seek another term, and he admitted recently that, his desire to retire and move to Florida notwithstanding, it would be difficult to “leave behind these people who have come to depend on me.”

This week, Howard stopped just short of committing to another four-year term.

“There are some things you just cannot do; I understand that,” Howard said. “But I have retired from my job, and I’m thinking that if God is willing, I most likely will run for four more years. I just feel like the people in this ward rely on me, and I don’t want to let them down.

“I won’t be able to solve their problems — if our birth rate was 0 for the next 30 years, that wouldn’t solve the problems we have — but I will do everything I can for them. And they know that.”

The Ward VI seat is intriguing because it is currently occupied by octogenarian Postell. The retired educator has suffered a stroke that, with other ailments, has kept him from attending most meetings over the past two years. But, in keeping with the city charter, the City Commission voted at its last meeting to make Postell mayor pro tem.

Postell chastised those who “want to throw me off this board,” saying at the commission’s Feb. 12 meeting, “I will decide when I leave this board. Nobody’s gonna throw me off.”

A pair of possible challengers has arisen as Postell nears the end of his term: Realtor Lula Davis and student Demetrius Young are being talked about as possible candidates. But at this stage, the talk is only speculation. And a large number of Postell’s supporters say they’d like to see him sign on for another four years, no matter his health issues.

Qualifying for the Nov. 5 general election will run from Aug. 19-23. The city races are nonpartisan, so candidates will not have to go through primary races.

File Photo

File Photo: Carlton Fletcher