Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1458429
for working with and for Robins Air Force Base? Mayor: Initially, Houston County Commission Chairman Thomas Stallnaker is setting up a meeting with Brig. Gen. Jennifer Hammerstedt and 78th Air Base Wing Commander Col. Lindsay Droz. A strong relationship with Robins is extremely important, just as having a strong relationship with the leadership of Houston County, Perry and Centerville is important. Their success depends on the City of Warner Robins, and our survival depends on Robins. JG: How do you plan to lure business and industry to Warner Robins and create jobs? Mayor: I plan to utilize our Engage Warner Robins team and the Houston County Development Authority. We need to apply for grant money. I've written proposals for government contracts and have won $250 million in contracts for companies across the country, and plan to tap into as many funding resources as possible. JG: There's been an uptick in crime nationally and in Warner Robins. Have you met with your Police Chief John Wagner and if so, what's your strategy to reduce crime? Mayor: Chief Wagner has an excellent reputation. I met with him to make sure he understood that I support police. Being understaffed is a problem. Police presence can deter crime, but we need additional strategies and community involvement. I'm interested in starting a program similar to Georgetown University's Street Law program. Law students teach high school students to become better citizens and they operate a legal clinic that doesn't cost us or the schools anything but benefits everyone. JG: Warner Robins changed police chiefs a few years ago. Do you plan to retain Chief Wagner, especially given the recent retirement of Fort Valley's Public Safety Director? Mayor: Yes. Absolutely. That retirement is unrelated to my becoming the mayor of Warner Robins. JG: Warner Robins has huge financial challenges — the $800,000 tax lien, plus the half million dollars in fines from the IRS. How will you tackle those two enormous financial liabilities? Mayor: Number one is fact-finding because there are conflicting stories about both. We need to contact the IRS and learn the status of each and our options. Is leniency available? Can we right the wrong? Worst case scenario, we must find money in the budget to pay them off. And we must do it quickly, before the next rating for the city. JG: What's the current rating for Warner Robins and what bond rating will you work toward? Mayor: The current is Double A (AA) and we will work toward AAA. JG: When did the lien controversy arise? Mayor: In 2015, when the city didn't properly pay tax revenue to the IRS. JG: The city also faces a gas management issue. Mayor: The City of Warner Robins, which owns its gas, was warned about inadequacies and non-compliance, but didn't fix them. There were leaks that could have caused an explosion. So, we've been fined by the Georgia Public Service Commission, which took away our right to manage our own gas. That's another area that needs attention. JG: What's your approach to the city budget? Mayor: The city has a history of submitting budgets late. That will stop. I've gotten updates from the finance department on all projects. We'll begin work on the budget in February. Our fiscal year is July 1-June 30. I'm considering having a forensic audit done, which requires the council's approval. But they're very expensive. RIGHT: RASHAAD WILLIAMS (BROTHER), LAQUETTA WILLIAMS (MOTHER), MAYOR LARHONDA PATRICK, RONDY WILLIAMS SR. (FATHER), JACQUELINE THOMPSON (GRANDMOTHER) AND RONDY WILLIAMS JR. (BROTHER). 'MY WORK ETHIC MATCHES MY AMBITION, BUT I'M NOT A WORKAHOLIC. I VALUE PERSONAL AND FAMILY TIME AND TRY TO BALANCE EVERYTHING.' — WARNER ROBINS MAYOR LARHONDA PATRICK FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 | maconmagazine.com 55