| Length of Current Term: |
Starting Date: January 2006 Ending
Date: January 2009 |
McDonough Mayor
Billy Copeland
|
| Contact Information: |
E-mail: bcopeland@mcdonough-ga.gov
Office/Cell Phone: 770-957-3915/ 678-618-6307 |
| Accomplishments while serving as Mayor: |
- lead project to establish free wireless internet in the downtown area
- initiated partnership with the Atlanta Regional Commission and Connecting Henry to establish a Workforce Center
- initiated Veterans Information and Referral Office in City Hall
- initiated partnership with the Atlanta Regional Commission to host first Annual Job Fair in the City of McDonough
- initiated annual Veterans’ Day Appreciation Breakfast
- prepared a balanced 2009 City budget with almost $600,000 in contingency funds
- initiated a quarterly newsletter from the Mayor’s Office to communicate with citizens
- initiated monthly tours of City Departments to communicate with personnel
- initiated annual Fourth of July Ice Cream Social
- negotiated purchase of land for the expansion of Rufus Stewart Park
- initiated partnership with Henry County for the construction of four new tennis courts at South Cedar Park
|
| Current Projects: |
- working with the Georgia Board of Regents, Clayton State University, and
Gordon College to establish a higher education system in our community
- meeting with County officials on a monthly basis to discuss transportation
issues
|
| Board/Committee Memberships: |
- currently serving as Vice-Chairperson of the Metro-Atlanta Mayor’s Association
- current Boardmember of the Henry County Chamber of Commerce
- currently serving as first Vice President of the Georgia Municipal Associations’ third district south
- former member of the Atlanta Regional Commission Board (1989-1997)
- former citizen representative of the Atlanta Regional Commission district one (2003-2005)
- former President of the Henry County High School Scholarship Foundation
|
| Awards Received: |
- 1993 recipient of the Presidential Award for the Jobs Training Partnership
Act project at City Hall
- 2006 recipient of the Lions’ Club Hall of Fame Award
|
| Community Affiliations: |
- founding member of the McDonough Lions’ Club
- Deacon and life long member of First Baptist Church of McDonough
- volunteer with Meals on Wheels
|
| Personal Background: |
- third generation citizen of McDonough (fifth generation resident of Henry
County)
- married to wife, Gloria, for 54 years
- two children, Bill and Allison, and five grandchildren
- after graduating from McDonough High School, received an LLB Degree from Atlanta Law School
- graduated from Greenleaf Business College and attended night school at Georgia State University
- employed with Norfolk Southern Railway for 35 years; responsibilities included managing property taxes within the southeastern states
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| Interests/Hobbies: |
- City of McDonough history
- travel
- recreational walking
- tennis
- church
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