Suwanee Voting Opens; 'We Can't Stand Still'

Updated 9:32 a.m., Oct. 18, 2011

Jimmy Burnette and Dick Goodman, who want to remain in city government, turned out early Monday on the first day of voting for 2011 elections. And they had the same mantra: The status quo is not good enough.

"We can't stand still," said Goodman, who was elected to City Council in 2009 and is seeking a full term. "Everyone else is moving forward."

Burnette, a Suwanee native who is vacating his City Council seat to run for mayor, supported that philosophy.

Quoting the mayor of Valdosta, Burnette noted that the success of a city begins with a business "taking a windshield tour of the city. If they don't see anything happening, they drive on to the next town."

And there is plenty happening in Suwanee these days. The city has had a varied and popular event schedule in 2011, which is the 10th anniversary of the Open Space Initiative that began development of the well-known parks system. The city's unemployment rate is far below that of Gwinnett County as a whole, and its credit rating has been raised twice this year by leading national agencies.

Doug Ireland, a Suwanee businessman who is running for Burnette's Council spot, also turned out to vote Monday.

Early voting will continue at City Hall through Friday, Nov. 4. After a day off, official voting will commence on Tuesday, Nov. 8, explained Elvira Rogers, city clerk who is presiding over voting matters.

Rogers said that 9,722 people are on registered rolls to vote in the Suwanee election. The city's population is about 15,300, per the 2010 U.S. Census. Fifteen people voted Monday, Rogers said.

Dan Pittman, a Suwanee resident since 1997 who is also running for mayor, said by telephone that he voted Monday. He dislikes the current direction of city government increasing long-term debt to taxpayers.

Pittman said in an email that the city of Sugar Hill is working on a new City Hall with a cost of $10 million, but that city has no long term debt.

Ireland has been campaigning for about three weeks by having volunteers make phone calls, as well as knocking on doors, using mail material and posting yard signs. He said response has been good.

He said people he has contacted "want to see (Suwanee) attract businesses." This fits with the current pro-business mentality at City Hall. "These are people who employ people -- they understand the dynamics of creating jobs," Ireland said. He added that he will "keep on campaigning until there is no more campaigning to do."

Jimmy Spiro, also running for Burnette's Council spot, could not be reached for comment Monday.

Burnette has been on the Suwanee Council since 1996, but he is not taking anything for granted. He too has been getting the word out about himself. He hopes to succeed Dave Williams, who is leaving the mayor office after one term. Williams has backed Burnette on Burnette's campaign Facebook page.

Goodman faces only potential write-in opposition this year.

"I'm thankful to live in a country that allows this (process)," Goodman said Monday. "It's really the closest people can get to their government."