Deborah Cochran, who was elected as the city’s commissioner at large in 2007, said she decided to seek the mayor’s position after receiving “numerous requests from citizens.”
A recent decision by incumbent Jack Loftis to vacate that post at the end of this year led to four candidates in all vying to replace him. In addition to Cochran, they include Gene Clark, Paul Eich and Teresa Lewis.
That will be the only contested race for the 2009 municipal election in Mount Airy, which also affects two commissioners seats now held by Jon Cawley of the North Ward and David Beal in the South Ward.
Beal has decided not to run for another term, and Stephen Yokeley was the only candidate to file for that office.
Cawley, appointed to the board last year to fill an unexpired term of a commissioner who resigned, filed for a full four-year term on the first day of the filing period on July 6 and no challengers did so afterward.
Cochran, 47, a local radio personality who lives on Allred Mill Road, said Friday that some of those close to her expressed surprise over her attempt to trade her commissioner’s role for that of the mayor. They include her mother, Cochran said, who responded by asking “How come you to do that?” when learning of the filing.
“A couple of people that I work with in city government both said they were picking their teeth off the floor,” she added.
The first-term commissioner said she had intended to file before the last day, but factors including her brother’s battle with leukemia and a busy meeting schedule prevented that.
Cochran explained that while she has enjoyed her work as a commissioner and intends to try to remain in that job if she loses the mayor’s election, she relishes the unique role played by the mayor.
“The mayor is the face of Mount Airy,” she said. “He or she has their finger on the pulse of the city.”
Cochran also believes that the mayor, while not having a regular vote in city government matters, still is able to make a difference, usually by becoming involved in issues as soon as they arise. “I think in the mayor’s office, sometimes they are privy to information even quicker than we are,” she said of the commissioners, such as when industries are considering locating here.
“I have the passion and intensity for the job,” Cochran said.
The mayoral candidate also said she believes she has built a “consistent” record of public service in her nearly two years as a commissioner which would carry over into the mayor’s office.
Cochran first got involved in politics to try to help local citizens who have lost their jobs, and has been a frequent opponent of water hikes and other moves she considers hardships to the populace. She voted against the 2008-09 city budget in June 2008 because it contained such a utility increase.
She said she had spoken with other candidates for mayor and a “friendly” race is expected.
“The other folks running are marvelous people,” Cochran said of her three opponents. “It’s up to the voters.”
She said that in addition to other citizens, she was asked about six months ago by another elected official to consider running for mayor. Cochran declined to name that person.
Dobson Filings
Friday’s end of the filing period for municipal elections in Surry County also saw two more people registering for the Dobson Board of Commissioners, increasing the slate to six candidates seeking two available seats.
One of those is incumbent Wayne Atkins, a former town manager who was appointed earlier this year to fill out a term of another commissioner who resigned.
Ted Ring was the other person filing Friday. Clarence Collins, who has served on the board for many years, has declined to run for another term, but could not be reached for comment on his reasons for doing so.
Atkins, meanwhile, cited a desire to see pending projects in town completed and concern for Dobson’s future growth among his reasons for seeking a full four-year term.
“We’ve got five major capital projects going,” said Atkins, 65, who served as Dobson town manager for 20 years. “I think four of them are water and one is wastewater, and it’s probably going to take a year or two to finalize all of them. I’d just like to see that everything goes smoothly.”
One of the key water projects involves a pipeline being extended from Mount Airy to the county seat.
Atkins said he also wants to help ensure Dobson’s long-term viability.
“The town’s got, I think, a lot of possibilities for growth,” he said. “Even though the economy’s bad, I still think there are opportunities we can take advantage of — we just need to keep things going. We don’t need to stand still.”
Ring, 71, of 226 Mike St., could not be reached Friday for comment on his candidacy.
Others seeking town commissioner seats include former board member Kermit Draughn, T. Jonathan Snow, Ron Atkins and John D. Lawson.
Mayor Ricky Draughn is being challenged for another term by Kenneth Earnest.
In Pilot Mountain, where two seats on the town board are the only offices at stake in the 2009 election, incumbents Carolyn Boyles and Andrew French will have no opposition this year.
Both registered on the first day of the filing period and no one else did after that.
Contact Tom Joyce at tjoyce@mtairynews.com or at 719-1924.
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