More Dougherty County incumbents qualify for May 24 primary election

ALBANY — On the second day of qualifying for local offices, all but one incumbent had turned in paperwork to run in their respective party primaries, with one challenger emerging on Monday for Dougherty County Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas.

Cohilas, who is seeking a third term, and former commissioner member Harry James both qualified for the Democratic primary on Monday. District 2 Commissioner Victor Edwards and District 6 Commissioner Anthony Jones, both Democrats, also qualified on Monday.

Commissioner Russell Gray, a Republican, will seek re-election in District 4.

For the Dougherty County School Board, Dean Phinazee, who serves as chairman, qualified on Monday to seek another four-year term in District 6. And on Tuesday District 4 board member Meilssa Strother, who is the board’s vice chairwoman, qualified.

Phinazee, a retired educator who took office in 2015, said he is most proud of the Commodore Conyers College and Career (4C) Academy.

“I was instrumental in getting that started,” he said. “Our graduation rate was at 86.2 percent, which is above the state average. Now Dougherty County has the highest rate for the county (ever) at 89.9 percent.”

Another accomplishment over the past two years has been helping deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We invested millions of dollars for the COVID safety measures, including purchasing indoor-quality (air) devices for school buses, shields for desks, quality cleaning supplies,” Phinazee said. “We approved a vaccination incentive for employees that led to the district reaching 90 percent vaccinated.”

Moving forward, the chairman said he would like to continue planning and execution of a $28 million gymnasium project at Dougherty High School and the second phase of renovations at Westover High School.

As of Tuesday afternoon, District 2 school board member Norma Gaines-Heath was the only incumbent who had not qualified.

County Commissioner Jones said he is seeking “a new contract because I have some unfinished business.”

“I have been a servant of the people of District 6,” he said. “I am willing to listen, learn and lead; I have tried to live this motto since I was elected in 2014.”

Jones pointed to accomplishments the commission has achieved together, including successful transportation special-purpose local-option sales tax (T-SPLOST) initiatives that has been used to improve and resurface roads and pave alleys, as well as instituting a health clinic for county employees. Others include park improvements and renovations to libraries.

“I’ve worked for the storm recovery through two tornadoes and the hurricane in 2017 and Hurricane Michael in 2018 and during the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, which continues until now,” Jones said.

With four more years in office, Jones said he would work to continue addressing littering and acting on an employee pay study to improve the pay scale.

Staff Photo: Alan MauldinAlanMauldin[email protected]
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