Dorothy Hubbard, Jon Howard, Roger Marietta to seek re-election

ALBANY — Two Albany elected officials whose political futures were in question going into the current election cycle joined a third colleague in announcing Monday that they would indeed seek four more years in office.

Mayor Dorothy Hubbard, who has been “leaning toward running” for a second term, told The Albany Herald Monday that she definitely will seek re-election. Ward I City Commissioner Jon Howard, who’d recently said he was considering leaving office after 21 years so that he could travel, said Monday his constituents had convinced him to seek another term.

Ward VI Commissioner Tommy Postell, 81, announced last week that he too would seek another four-year term.

Also Monday, Ward IV Commissioner Roger Marietta said he, too, had already filed paperwork with the city clerk declaring his intention to run for a third term in office.

Hubbard said she’ll wait a bit to make the formal announcement that will allow her to start raising funds for what could be a brutal mayoral campaign, but she said she’s committed to seeking another term.

And while qualifying is still months away (Aug. 31-Sept. 4 for the nonpartisan Nov. 3 municipal election), Hubbard said she’ll prepare for re-election with the expectation that former City Commissioner Henry Mathis will challenge for the seat. Mathis, who was convicted of extortion in 2005, must have his civil and political rights restored by the State Board of Pardons and Paroles before he is eligible to seek elected office.

“I’m running behind my schedule; I’d planned to make a formal announcement in April,” Hubbard said Monday. “But I have decided I will run for another term as mayor. I’m meeting with a group of my supporters tomorrow to talk about details, so it will probably be May before I make a formal announcement.

“We are making progress in our community, and I look forward to helping keep that positive momentum going.”

Mathis said Monday the earliest he can apply for reinstatement of his civil and political rights is “around June 9,” and that he would expect a ruling “within around 30 days.” But he said the prospect of entering the political fray late in the game would not be a major issue.

“I’m not surprised that the mayor is announcing her plans to run, but I’m not ready to push the envelope on that issue just yet,” Mathis said. “Qualifying is not until the end of August, so there’s plenty of time.

“If it were any other candidate, they might be behind the eight-ball with the timing (of the rights restoration application). But people know me. I’ve been meeting with individuals and groups throughout the city. Many of them have contacted me. I know of no reason why my rights won’t be restored, and once they are I’ll be ready to start campaigning in earnest.”

Howard said he met with some of his constituents recently to tell them that he planned to leave office, but they convinced him that he needed to stick around.

“I tried to convince (my constituents) that there was other stuff I wanted to do, but they said they needed me,” the longest-serving commissioner said. “They asked me not to jump ship on them. Our relationship is not like a commissioner and constituents, it’s more like a son and parents or close relatives. I always want to do what’s best for them.

“They told me I just couldn’t leave office. We’ve developed a level of trust over the years, so I guess I will start looking forward to (running for) another four years in office.”

Marietta, the Darton State College professor who has been rumored to be considering a mayoral run, said Monday he wants to keep the positive momentum of the City Commission going.

“Yes, (the mayor’s office) has been in the back of my mind, but Mayor Hubbard has told me she plans to run and she and I are on the same sheet music most of the time,” Marietta said. “I respect her a great deal, and I think this City Commission is really working as a team right now. So I plan to run for re-election and just do the best job I can to help the city.”

The Ward IV commissioner said there are issues of concern that he is “growing more and more passionate about” as he looks toward what would be a third term in office.

“We’re attracting new businesses that are bringing new jobs, and statistically — and I want to emphasize statistically — there is less crime in the city,” Marietta said. “But I think we need to approach our churches about getting involved in what has become a ‘gang war’ in the city. I don’t want to turn it into a ‘holy war,’ but a lot of gang involvement revolves around Satanism and Satanic symbols. I think our churches can offer an alternative in what is, essentially, a fight of good vs. evil.

“I also believe we need to put the brakes on with groups like ADICA (the Albany-Dougherty Inner City Authority) as far as committing taxpayer money, at least until the City Commission and whoever our permanent city manager will be has an opportunity to look at the issue and weigh in. We also need fundamental changes in our transportation plan and in what the Utility Board is doing. If we can get involved with SGRITA (the South Georgia Regional Information Technology Authority) and use our assets there, we need to have free WiFi throughout the city.”