Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1340266
DREAM PROJECT JG: MAYOR REICHERT TACKLED CONSOLIDATION AND THE SECOND STREET CORRIDOR. DO YOU HAVE ANY DREAM PROJECTS IN MIND? I have huge plans. I want to build an amphitheater. It takes a lot of money, but I don't want to use tax dollars. I'm going to do it and I know where. The question is, how soon I can make it happen. JG: WHAT DO YOU ENVISION? MAYOR: An amphitheater to complement the City Auditorium and Macon Coliseum that can bring people together for the arts as well as films and all musical genres. It won't be located in a typical area. But it will be something we can afford and be proud of. TRANSITION TEAM JG: YOU ASSEMBLED A DIVERSE GROUP OF 31 PEOPLE. WHAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND DOES THE TEAM HAVE A ROLE GOING FORWARD? MAYOR: I was very intentional in selecting a diverse group, some who didn't support me. And some, like me, were previously overlooked in the community and were honored to serve. When we released our report at our final meeting, I told them I want them to be my accountability partners. I promised to provide the resources to accomplish the things they said the community wanted, so I want them to own and defend our work. I promised to be a mayor for all people and I value their input. I'll be calling on them for advice and on who to select for various board appointments to make sure we have new faces. I have approximately 120 slots to fill. JG: IMMEDIATELY UPON TAKING OFFICE YOU ISSUED THREE EXECUTIVE ORDERS AND PULLED TOGETHER MACON'S NEW WARMING CENTER IN RECORD TIME. WHAT ELSE WILL WE SEE INITIALLY IN YOUR ADMINISTRATION? MAYOR: The fruition of the last months FAMILY JG: WILL YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR FAMILY? MAYOR: My wife, Toby, isn't political, but I always talk to her. She was my high school sweetheart at Southwest. She's a nurse and a worker bee behind the scenes. She's done a really good job raising our boys while I've done my small part. They get their business sense from me and everything else from her. She's held our family together and is the reason I can do what I do. When someone asked what to call her now that her husband is mayor she said, "Toby." My mom got pregnant as teen. She had no opportunities and was encouraged to drop out of school. The best she could do was make tips as a waitress. She never had dental or health insurance and neither did we. That's why I'm passionate about equal pay for equal work and women getting an education and childcare, even if they've made mistakes. My dad met my mom in the restaurant business, and was food and beverage manager for the City of Macon. He got me my first job when I was 14 and I got him his last job. He has worked in my office for the last 10 years. JG: WHAT DO YOUR BOYS THINK OF YOUR NEW HIGH-PROFILE JOB? MAYOR MILLER: They're not political but are protective of me and my wife. They're millennials and keep me in check. of my campaign and the transition team's work. The first 100 days will have a lot of action items. We've been very engaged with the community the entire campaign. You'll see from our meetings and my appointments that their voices will be heard. We're well organized and plan to make things happen quickly. RACE JG: GIVE ME YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON RACE IN MACON-BIBB COUNTY AND HOW YOU'LL ADDRESS RACIAL ISSUES. MAYOR: You do what you say you're going to do and don't over-promise. If I say I'm concerned about East Macon, then I better do something about it. If I say I'm going to do something about public safety, if I can't stop the bullet, then I better be there for prayer at the graveside. You have to let people know how much you care. That's how you do race. We need to build trust in small battles instead of fighting the war. I'm going to encourage people to build bridges by discussing common ground. And as we build trust and are more comfortable with each other, we can tackle bigger issues. I intend to have courageous conversations demonstrating that everyone matters and I'm serious about equity. I've lived in the areas that need work, so in some respects, I can relate. I was the minority in most of the seven elementary schools I attended, and I have something to prove to the naysayers who didn't support me. "WE NEED TO BUILD TRUST IN SMALL BATTLES INSTEAD OF FIGHTING THE WAR. I'M GOING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BUILD BRIDGES BY DISCUSSING COMMON GROUND. " -MAYOR MILLER 40 maconmagazine.com | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021