Student runs against Vance for Milledgeville City Council

If 23 year-old GC&SU senior Zach Johnson gains enough votes this November, he will become one of the youngest members of the Milledgeville City Council.

“I decided to run because I think the students of Georgia College need genuine representation,” Johnson said. “I don’t feel the students of Georgia College have been represented at all. I think it’s time not just to bring the students into the picture but I think its time to bring the students and the community into the picture together.”

Johnson is collaborating with the College Republicans in a voter registration drive for students. The group must fill a quota of 80 newly registered voters in the district this year, which Johnson said will be a major part of getting students involved.

Johnson said he does not expect any trouble getting the votes he needs.

“I think I can get the votes I need because I think there are different groups of people that are ready for something new,” Johnson said.

Johnson has several areas of interest that he would like to focus on if elected for the District 4 seat. The current parking situation and excess fines for underage drinking are issues that need to be addressed, he said.

“I think fines are important. If kids shouldn’t be drinking, they shouldn’t be drinking,” Johnson said. “But I think there is a line, and I think that line was crossed a long time ago. There are bigger and better problems that need to be addressed, but the fact of the matter is that students are an easy target.”

Johnson, originally from Macon, earned a two-year business degree at Georgia Military College and is currently a fourth-year student at GC&SU. He is majoring in political science with a concentration in pre-law.

Johnson will run against Ken Vance, who has maintained a seat on the Milledgeville City Council for 24 consecutive years and serves as GC&SU’s Director of Public Safety.

Vance said the most important characteristic for a councilman can be summed up in one word.

“Integrity, integrity, integrity,” Vance said. “That’s what it’s about.”

According to Vance, there is a lot to accomplish in Milledgeville’s future. However, he said he feels that the community is learning to appreciate the university.

“I think the community is coming to appreciate more the economic value of the university,” Vance said.

Vance said some of the City Council’s focuses after election should include solidifying the city manager system of government and neighborhood issues.

Both candidates said they will rely on door-to-door campaigning as their main source for gaining votes and the trust of Milledgeville’s voters.

This is the second time since Vance became a councilman that a GC&SU student has run for his position. Ray Nestlehutt ran for a seat on the Milledgeville City Council in 2001, with hopes similar to those of Johnson.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 9 2005. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry