The Mayor
ROCHELLE ROBINSON
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After President Carter’s election, Mrs. Padgett was appointed Assistant Chief of Protocol in the State Department. In this position, Mrs. Padgett assisted on the front lines of diplomatic engagement for the President. She also served as a member of the Dem-
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ocratic National Committee, the Georgia Council for the Arts, and the Metropolitan Mental Health Association. Mrs. Padgett also served on The Carter Center Board of Councilors.
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I love what Dot has told me about the “Peanut Brigade”: The “Peanut Brigade” had its start as a campaign strategy to separate Carter from the pack of Democrats in the New Hampshire Primary. He was a peanut farmer from a small town in South Georgia running against well known candidates. A planeload of Georgians flew into New Hampshire. We were a group of people that personally knew Jimmy Carter, Rosalynn, and Miss Lillian. Included in the group were elected officials that were knowledgeable about his term as governor and businessmen and women who knew him as an honest businessman. People knew that he had the skills and talent to be President of the United Sates.”
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she helped organize the Carter presidential campaign effort that was known as the “Peanut Brigade”. The role of the “Peanut Brigade” was to travel across the USA with President Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, knocking on doors and rallying votes. Their efforts took them to New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, and all over the country.
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Of course, we have many excellent female leaders and role models in our community as well. One that comes immediately to mind is Mrs. Dot Padgett. Dot is a local author who wrote the book, “Jimmy Carter: Elected President with Pocket Change and Peanuts”. Mrs. Padgett is an expert in this matter because
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On a local level, Douglasville is so blessed to have several strong female leaders guiding us into the future like my fellow elected officials Councilwoman Dr. LaShun Burr Danley, Councilwoman Nycole Miller, and County Commission Chair Dr. Romona Jackson-Jones. Our two Chief Administrative positions at the city are held by women: City Manager Marcia Hampton and Assistant City Manager Chelsea Jackson as well as the woman over the “purse strings”, Finance Director Karin Callan. Our other female department directors are: Vicki Acker- City Clerk, Teaa Allston-Bing- Human Resources Director, Angela Cochran- Municipal Court Administrator, Jennifer Johnson- Director of Conference Center Operations, Chan Weeks- Executive Director of Keep Douglasville Beautiful, and Shayla Reed- Community Development Director.
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TE Throughout March, we celebrate the impact of women on American History. There are so many women through the years that I look up to: Rosa Parks, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Madam Curie are just a few that come to mind.
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I am so honored that we have an amazing woman like Dot Padgett who has represented Douglasville so well. To accomplish all the wonderful things that she has done is an encouragement to me and I know to all women in Douglasville. To Mrs. Padgett, I say thank you for being an inspiration and example of what women can do. Mrs. Padgett is a shining example of the strong female leaders in our community and unfortunately, there is no way to recognize every one of them. Since I cannot, I want to use this month’s celebration of Women’s History to urge everyone to encourage their sisters, daughters, nieces, mothers, aunts, grandmothers, granddaughters, neighbors, and friends to dream big and achieve bigger! May God bless you, your families, and the City of Douglasville.
WHO WORKS FOR THE CITY?
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Each month I would like to introduce you to a City employee. In keeping with the theme of Women’s History Month, it is my pleasure to recognize our newest female department director- Shalya Reed. Shayla AY joined us in January as the new Community LA REED Development Director. Shayla has over 15 years in community development management. Before coming to the city of Douglasville, Shayla served as the Community Development and Regulatory Affairs Director with the City of South Fulton. Her strengths are in urban planning, engineering, redevelopment, economic development, grants writing, community engagement, customer service, and infrastructure. She holds many professional memberships
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with the American Planning Association, Georgia Chapter of the American Planning Association, and the International City/County Management Association. She is currently in the Certified Public Manager Program with the Carl Vinson Institute at the University of Georgia. Shayla is a double graduate of Alabama A & M with a Bachelor’s in Political Science and a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, crafting, and serving her sorority Delta Sigma Theta Inc. I am so glad to welcome Shayla to the city and work with her to continue making Douglasville a premier place to live, work, play and raise a family! God Bless you all! PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS