H’wick citizens step up to lead city

Like the Mayan calendar and other dire forecasts, the predicted doomsday in May for the City of Howardwick won’t be coming true after nine people signed up to run for elected office there.

With the mayor’s position vacant for more than a year and four terms either expiring or vacant, Mayor Pro Tem Johnny Hubbard and legal advisors had warned that the city government would be dissolved if citizens did not step up and run for office.

But after a town meeting last Tuesday, January 29, that was attended by more than 50 people, interest in public service has picked up to the degree that a competitive election will be held for every position on the ballot this spring.

For the vacant mayor’s seat, David P. Cafferata has signed up to run and so has former alderman Mike Rowland.

Three people have signed up to run for the two vacant full terms on the board of aldermen – William R. Jordan, Gail Leathers, and Jim Cockerham; and four people have signed up to run for the two unexpired terms on the board – Alderman Gene Rogers, Cory Longan, former mayor H.L. “Buster” Baird, and Sandy Sanders.

At last week’s town meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Hubbard outlined problems facing the city for those in attendance and made a plea for people to get involved.

“I don’t want to see our little city fold up,” Hubbard said.

Several residents agreed that a lack of communication and a lack of attendance by citizens at city meetings were largely to blame for the situation. Others also pointed to elected officials getting blamed for things beyond their control, and the city’s property tax rate being capped at 25 cents per $100 valuation (until the city’s population breaks 500) as being problems.

It was also noted that not every resident of the city was paying the monthly fee for trash service.

Stan Couch and Joe Hall separately put forth ideas for bringing more businesses and residents to Howardwick, including making property attractive to small commercial operations and developing incentives for retired military personnel to build homes on vacant lots.

Residents also took the opportunity to complain about some nuisance properties, and Hubbard said he has been working with the justice of the peace and the municipal judge in Clarendon to see what can be done about that.

Throughout the meeting, former city officials and longtime residents as well as newer residents encouraged each other to work together for the future of the city.

“It can be done,” longtime resident and former volunteer fireman Jim Cockerham said. “Don’t ever think that it can’t be.”