GOOD HOPE, Ala.- The Aug. 25, 2020 Municipal Election is Tuesday, and these are the last of The Tribune’s Q&A sessions between candidates.
In Good Hope, voters will be choosing new council members. Councilman Maxie Jones is being challenged by Eric Phillips for place 2.
Editor’s note: Multiple attempts were made to contact Phillips, but no response was received. As such, Jones’ answers are presented alone.
Why did you choose to run in the 2020 race?
Jones: “I decided to seek re-election because I enjoy working for my friends and neighbors to make our community a great place to live. It is rewarding for me to be involved in projects and watch them come to fruition.”
What would you like to do for Good Hope in the next four years if re-elected?
Jones: “I believe it is very important to maintain our roads and keep our community safe and clean. I would like to see every unpaved street get paved. I also want to work with our mayor and other council members to secure grants to build a new city park on the 30-acre parcel of land that the City recently purchased.”
Are there any specific projects you would like to work on if re-elected?
Jones: “I have several projects that I would like to see happen around Good Hope. I keep a list of requests/complaints that I receive. I believe all requests are important and I always try to correct the things that I can.
“I have received more calls concerning the bridge over the interstate at Exit 304 than I have any other issue. The State of Alabama is actually over the maintenance of that bridge since it’s on a state highway. I know that’s going to be a very costly project. I would love for the City to partner with the State to get a new bridge. We have outgrown the current bridge and the problems there will only get worse as we continue to grow.”
Why do you think the people of Good Hope should vote for you?
Jones: “I was first elected to the city council in 2008. I am proud of the things we have accomplished in Good Hope. I believe that working together and maintaining a strong relationship with other community leaders are two very important factors for any community to flourish.
“I have a good working relationship with the mayor and the council. I hope people can look around and see the things we have accomplished by working together. There’s no doubt that we can all work together to accomplish big things for our community. We have brought in millions of dollars in grants to help with projects that would have never been completed otherwise.
“When I was first elected, the street department had mostly old equipment that was purchased from the state surplus. Most of that equipment was unreliable and hazardous to even have working on the side of our roads. We developed a plan to phase out that equipment and replace it with newer, more efficient equipment with better safety features. We must continue to develop policies that make our streets safe for our employees who are out there working and the citizens who are using them.
“I love Good Hope. It has been an honor to serve our community. I hope to continue serving and would like to ask anyone that is a Good Hope resident to consider casting your vote for Maxie Jones for Good Hope City Council, place 2 on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020.”
Copyright 2020 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
