Candidate Spotlight: Joe Grooms III – Brooklet Mayoral Race

Joe Grooms III is seeking the office of Mayor of the City of Brooklet. Both he and his opponent were given identical questionnaires. His opponent’s is also on AllOnGeorgia.com/Bulloch.

What are some of the features/qualities that make Brooklet great and led you to call the city home?

One of the features of Brooklet that make it great is that it is genuinely a small town in look and feel. My wife and I can enjoy walking down the sidewalks, seeing people we know and meeting new families. There is a feeling of well-being in a close-knit community. Another feature of the great city of Brooklet is the schools. The elementary, middle and high schools are excellent in that they have received accolades from the district and state levels for academic, athletic, and fine arts performances. Additionally, the City of Brooklet is home to several churches, a locally owned grocery store, a furniture store, several restaurants, a doctor’s office and pharmacy.It’s not so much that

I was “led’ to call the city home, but for five generations my family has lived in the area and has called Brooklet home. I was born in Columbus Georgia, and my parents moved back to Brooklet to be near family when I was one year old.

What do you believe are the biggest issues facing the City of Brooklet? How do you plan to address them?

One of the biggest issues facing the City of Brooklet is the inaccurate perception of citizens that they do not have a voice in the council meetings regarding decision-making. In addressing this, I believe it is important that citizens know that their voice can and will be heard. I also believe that publicizing meeting dates continue through social media as well as general posting and announcements.

If elected, what three steps would you take to put Brooklet on a firm financial footing?

• work with City Council to create a strong and realistic budget.
• work with City Council to conscientiously stay within the confines of the budget.
• work with City Council to make sure that each department is properly funded and equipped for maintenance issues as well as to be prepared for growth within the city.

If you received a $1 million grant to use for the city in any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why?

If Brooklet received a $1 million grant, the City Council would be able to address the infrastructure, specifically water, roads, and drainage, as well as the safety of the residents of Brooklet as these are areas of utmost importance. An elected public official, such as Mayor, should seek ways to meet basic needs for successful operation of a city, namely Brooklet.

Brooklet has dealt with some contention amongst residents over whether or not the city should annex in more property and/or absorb the responsibility for maintaining the streets in subidivisions. What types of things would you take into consideration when weighing decisions such as these and how would you make sure the best interests of the city are at the forefront?

The entire City Council should listen intently to the concerns of the citizens of Brooklet regarding annexation of any property. It is imperative that the voice of the people be heard and strongly regarded. The City Council should take into consideration that annexing more property means absorbing the cost and responsibility for providing basic needs and safety for these annexed properties. Therefore, the financial benefits of annexation must outweigh the costs of annexation for the City Council to deem it to be done.

Describe what a police department in the city the size of Brooklet should look like and what its primary functions should be. 

Any city should be well represented by its police department in professionalism, expertise, visibility and approachability. The City of Brooklet is no exception. The primary function of a police department is to police the city. Policy a city means that the officers representing the civil authority of a local government are responsible for maintaining order, providing safety and security to the citizens, and detecting as well as preventing criminal activities by enforcing local law.

A) How do you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in Brooklet?

For citizens to be more involved in the decision making process in Brooklet, I would encourage attendance at council meeting.

B) How can the city be more transparent?

The decisions being made for the welfare of the city should be easily accessible for any citizen in written form as well as electronic.

Do you plan to stay involved in city activities if you lose the race?

Regardless of the outcome of the mayoral race, I will choose to stay involved in city activities. God has blessed me with residency in the small City of Brooklet, and it is also an honor to be able to attend council meetings, to listen to concerns, and to ask questions for the betterment of the community.

Why do you feel you are the best candidate for the job?

The City of Brooklet is a very special place for me. My family roots run deep in this city, and I care strongly for the well-being of this community. As a husband, father and grandfather, my desire is to preserve the integrity of Brooklet for future generations. If elected as Mayor, it will be my responsibility to be forthright, transparent, and cooperative, working diligently with the citizens of Brooklet and all members of city council.

Please feel free to include any additional biographical information below. (Family information, history in City of Brooklet, employment, etc)

Joseph Arte Grooms III (JoJo) is currently a Lead Lineman for Canoochee EMC. He graduated from Southeast Bulloch High School in 1984. After graduation he went to work as an installer at Statesboro Cable Television, now known as Northland Communications. At Northland, he advanced from Installer to Plant Manager with accreditation in electronics. He was born in Muscogee County and moved to Brooklet Georgia at the age of one. He is married to Sheri Boyd Grooms, and they have one daughter, a son-inlaw and three grandchildren. He and his family live in Brooklet, Georgia. He faithfully serves his LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ, in his home church at Brooklet First Baptist. He enjoys spending time with his family, hunting, and fishing.

A candidate forum hosted by the Brooklet Kiwanis Club is scheduled for Tuesday, October 29th at 7:00 p.m. at the Community Center. Any interested person is welcome to attend and will be permitted to ask questions of the candidates.

Early voting is already underway and Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, 2019.

The PDF of Grooms’ questionnaire is below.