WTOC, Savannah, Georgia, news, weather and sports | Statesboro voters look for improvement
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STATESBORO, GA (WTOC) - Candidates for Statesboro City Council Districts 1 and 4 lined the street outside their respective polls. They waved and held signs, anything to draw attention. But some voters said their city council has drawn attention lately, but for all the wrong reasons.
Lora Cooper, among others, cast her ballot to make changes. "I think Statesboro is growing and we need to do things differently to bring in more business and economic development," she explained.
Cooper said she especially didn't like how the current council handled the fight with former city clerk Judy McCorkle. Over the course of 18 months they split over votes to fire her, rehire her, re-fire her, then pay her more than $300,000 in severance.
Cooper thought that money could have gone to something better. The common theme from many voters was frustration. They felt council members haven't worked as a team but instead focused on individual agendas. Some voters say council members have battled over everything from A to Z, alcohol to zoning and everything in between.
"I just can't stand the way they've gone back and forth about things and they don't accomplish anything they're saying," shared Sharice Blanchette.
Georgia Southern students voted by the hundreds 2 years ago in 3 district races around the campus. Both Cooper and Blanchette said the city should pay better attention to its student population, now 19,000 strong. They hope the council that takes office in January can rise to the challenge.
"We should take into consideration the people who live here and what their needs are but you can't just forget the college students either," Blanchette noted.
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