The community group Norcross PDC is hosting a city council debate on Oct. 6 at the Norcross Cultural Arts & Community Center, starting at 7 p.m., introducing two well-known candidates vying to fill the unexpired term previously held by Marshall Cheek.
Two former elected officials, Jeffrey Allen and Bucky Johnson, qualified during the official Sept. 14-16 period.
Cheek, a local business owner, industrial engineer, and one-term council member, passed away in June after a battle with cancer. A special election to fill his seat is on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at Norcross City Hall, with early voting at select times from Tuesday, Oct. 13, to Friday, Oct. 30.
Honoring Cheek
At the Sept. 21 policy work session, Norcross City Council member Bruce Gaynor introduced an item to create a policy and procedures for requesting to name city assets. Gaynor said he proposes naming the entrance plaza and courtyard outside of the Norcross Public Safety Building’s main entrance in honor of Cheek.
Cheek played a pivotal role in guiding the construction of the new police and municipal court complex, according to city leaders.
Gaynor said that during his six years on the council, city officials haven’t codified what honors and recognitions are appropriate for “extraordinary members of the community.”
Other council members agreed on the naming proposal and offered ideas to codify a policy for future proposals to name roads, streets, parks, and other facilities.
City Manager Cheri Hobson-Matthews said staff could bring back items for council to vote on as soon as the Oct. 5 meeting. One would codify a naming procedure, and the other would put Cheek’s name in the courtyard of the new public safety building.
October’s city council forum
Peachtree Corners attorney Jim Blum is moderating the debate forum as he has for the last three election cycles.
Norcross PDC organizer Chuck Paul, a former council member (2018-19), said Blum is “very good at [moderating].” Audience questions won’t be taken during the forum, but community members can email questions and suggested topics to jim@blumcampbell.com.
“I wanted to bring in somebody who was completely separate from Norcross,” Paul said. “I think it’s been very successful.”
Paul said most of the community is familiar with both candidates, Allen and Johnson.
“I think we’ll have a good crowd at this one, because both candidates are fairly well known, depending on how long you’ve been in the city,” Paul said.
Johnson was elected mayor in 2007 and served five terms before announcing he would not seek reelection in 2017. Allen, a 30-year resident, sat on the council from 2006-08.
Allen’s platform calls for more homeownership options and fewer apartments, more transparent voting, shorter council discussions, and consideration of term limits. He opposes redevelopment that increases downtown density.
Johnson’s platform prioritizes safety, measured growth, and working with the downtown development authority to make downtown vibrant. He opposes the Norcross Piedmont Pathway and citations from traffic cameras that are not actively flashing.
Elections and leadership
The city used two-year terms throughout Johnson’s tenure but now has four-year staggered ones. It’s an initiative that Paul spurred and was phased in after his council tenure.
“Norcross elections had been every two years for 100-something years, since the beginning,” he said. “Now we’re on an every-other-year cycle of three people running. But, of course, this election is special because of Marshall’s untimely death.”
Paul said he was motivated to make the change after spending about a year getting familiar with city operations.
“Whoever wins, they kind of know how it works, and I think that’s a good thing,” he said. “There won’t be the learning curve … that’s why I pushed for four-year terms.”
Next fall, the city will have two seats up for reelection, currently held by council members Josh Bare and Andrew Hixson, who have served for more than a decade.
“Next year’s election could be pivotal in terms of direction of the city, I think,” Paul said. “I think a couple people that thought about running in this special election have held off because next year looks more open. And knowing that Jeff and Bucky are so well-known … the odds of being elected were probably pretty slim.”
