“This is the first meeting we’ve ever held in the city of Douglas as state champions,” stated Mayor Tony Paulk as he banged the gavel to begin the last city commission meeting of 2023.
It was also the final meeting of Ward 3 commissioner Olivia Pearson’s 24-year tenure on the board. Commissioner Pearson chose not to run for re-election this year and as such, her time as a city commissioner officially ends on December 31, 2023. Since Monday’s meeting was the last of the year, for all practical purposes, her term has ended.
Commissioners had a short agenda — just four items of regular business. However, four individuals — Mayor Tony Paulk, commissioners Kentaiwon Durham and Mike Gowen, and newly elected Ward 3 commissioner Tony Paulk II — took oaths of office for their new terms, which begin on January 1, 2024.
During the meeting, commissioners voted to purchase a new fire truck for $862,525. The truck will be delivered in about three and a half years. The commission also approved a resolution to submit a Hurricane Michael Disaster Assistance grant application for the World War II air base; awarding the CDBG Head Start/Early Head Start expansion project to Charles Lewis Construction for $1.5 million; and submitting the 2024 LMIG streets list and application. The LMIG projects include portions of South Manilla Avenue, Willow Street, North Grady, South Grady, Evergreen Lane, Evergreen Place, Leader Street, Juanita Street, Kimbrough Street, and Turner Street. The total amount of the projects is estimated at $463,562.
After all the business had been conducted, Commissioner Pearson made a few remarks before the meeting ended. “When I was counted out, when my family was counted out, because I came from the projects, that we were not worthy to be in a place like this to represent people, God saw fit that in 1999 the citizens of Ward 3 decided to elect me as their city commissioner. I do not take that lightly at all. I have enjoyed, I have loved serving the citizens of Douglas, the residents of Ward 3, the employees of Douglas. And sometimes there has been conflict because employees want one thing and citizens want another. But we have to work to try to find a happy medium to do what is best. And that’s not always an easy task. Sometimes you’re going to be not liked for decisions that you make. That happens. That’s politics. But I will never forget the words of my mother. She lived for 10 months after I got elected in 1999. She said to me, ‘You go there, you represent the people, you do what is right, you stand for what is right. If you have you have to stand by yourself you stand for what is right. It is my prayer that I have satisfied God and done what was right in his sight. Because at the end of the day it’s God’s approval that we are seeking. I trust that my 24 years have been beneficial to the citizens of Douglas . . . I just want to say thank you to the citizens of Ward 3 for allowing me to represent you for 24 years,” said a tearful Commissioner Pearson.