DANIEL WHEELER: Roger Marrietta has served constituents well

As we approach Tuesday’s election for Ward IV commissioner, I am pleased to have a “Re-elect Marietta” sign in the yard. Mr. Marietta has served the people of Albany and his constituents well.

He opposed the Sabal Trail pipeline early on, especially the pumping station, and did his best to alert the citizens of its impact on the community. This is a position to which his opponent has arrived only recently. The city commission, city manager and mayor seem to be working well together, even if tensions surface on occasion. Mr. Marietta shows a knack for getting things accomplished in a corporate environment.

Finally, and I expect some pushback on this, I don’t think anyone that wasn’t here for the ’94 flood and its aftermath has an understanding of Albany. One didn’t have to be flooded out, as was my wife; just needed to be here to see how fundamentally that changed this community, and how that short bit of history is still in play today. I left Albany for Florida 10 years ago and returned last fall.

As I left, I expected someone to mount a sign saying, “Will the last person to leave Albany please turn out the lights?” Crime was up all over, Cooper had left and Merck was about to do so. What a difference now. Among the first headlines when I returned was “Crime at 10-year low” (now, a year later, a 25-year low). City government seems to be slimming down, as well as the public utility. We’re hearing of meeting or beating budgets. Could always be better, but still good news all around. Mr. Marietta has been part of that.

Given all this, I can easily support Mr. Marietta.

DANIEL WHEELER

Albany