Singley: Questions and answers

Web posted October 4, 1998

 Singley looks past defeats

From Staff Reports

The Augusta Chronicle will ask each of the six mayoral candidates specific questions. Here are the questions and candidate Elmer Singley's responses:

Q: It is four years from now, 2002. You've finished a four-year term as mayor. What's different as a result of your administration?

MAYORS RACE  THE MAYOR'S RACE Each week until the Nov. 4 election, The Augusta Chronicle will feature a candidate running for Augusta-Richmond County mayor. Check back each Sunday for a new profile. •Ed McIntyre •Larry Sconyers •Elmer Singley •Moses Todd •Kenneth Winters •Bob Young  Q&A The Chronicle asks each candidate specific questions about their abilities and goals. Here are their answers. •Ed McIntyre •Larry Sconyers •Elmer Singley •Moses Todd •Kenneth Winters •Bob Young  ASK THE CANDIDATES Do you have a question you'd like to ask the mayoral candidates? •Click here

A: My administration will bring Augusta in line with the 21st century. I feel as though my four years as mayor will prove that the people of Augusta-Richmond County can live together in a progressive environment.

Q: What can you contribute to Augusta and its residents as mayor that the other candidates can't?

A: Leadership. Leadership. It's all about leadership into the 21st century. Augusta at the present time does not have any true leadership. I feel with my training and qualifications I can lead Augusta into the 21st century.

Q: What is the worst mistake you ever made outside of politics?

A: The worst mistake I made was in 1967 when I didn't purchase any property in the Tobacco Road area. That area is really booming economically. I could have been financially stable at this time.

Q: What decision in your life had consequences you never would have expected?

A: Most of the consequences I've encountered is in announcing for public office. Seems as everybody in Augusta, Ga., seems to be established or set in doing things, is satisfied with the status quo. That is, nobody wants to make any true changes. They want to make changes, but they don't want to make any sacrifices.

Q: What is the best book you ever read?

A: Gone with the Wind.

Q: What do you count as your greatest accomplishment in life, outside of your family?

A: Gaining a career in the military. And the greatest accomplishment of that was to be elected commander of the American Legion for the 11th District here in Augusta-Richmond County, Ga. And I feel as though the personnel saw the leadership qualities within me and were very faithful in selecting me for this job.

Q: Explain what actions you would take in these areas of concern:

Recycling:

A: I would continue the recycling program, and I would expand it. At the present time, there are a few locations here in Augusta-Richmond County but not enough. They're not accessible to all the citizens in Augusta-Richmond County. And I would work with the judges and the sheriff's department to allow them to detail personnel to pick up this recycling and continue to pick up the trash and stuff along the roads. I would move more bins throughout the county.

Libraries:

A: I would ensure the libraries be properly funded. At the present time, as you know, they're not properly funded. Ours, you know, is the poorest-funded library in Georgia. There are ways we could get funding for the library, whether it's the private sector or within Richmond County. The 1 percent sales tax was supposed to be for the library, but the money somehow got diverted, and we're not getting our full money's worth.

The state gives the money for the books, but see, that's so little money you have to use that for repair. All the buildings are in a poor state of repair, and by the time they get through repairing they can't replace any periodicals, encyclopedias etc.

Streets and roads:

A: I would continue to utilize the 1 cent sales tax to improve our streets and roads. At the present time, there's a lot of roads in south Augusta, Hephzibah, Blythe that are in a poor state of repair. I will see can I seek funds to get all these roads paved and brought up to standard.

Water:

A: I will constantly maintain close supervision of our water system. I don't feel we need a water authority to supervise our water here in Augusta, Ga. I think if we have proper supervision, constant maintenance, update of our materials and equipment we wouldn't have that problem any longer.

Animal control:

A: That's a great problem. They were talking about taxing animal breeders. I think it's a fair tax to place on animal breeders. However, that is not going to alleviate personnel from other counties bringing in dogs and dropping them off. I live near the dog pound, and each night you see four or five stray dogs you wouldn't see the night before. I will continue to support the efforts not to destroy the animals in the inhumane way we've been doing. I support lethal injections.