City of South Fulton residents are set to vote for councilmembers in Districts 1, 3, 5 and 7 on November 5. We reached out to the candidates who will challenge the incumbents this fall with a few questions to learn more about them and let residents hear from them in their own words. All responses were sent to us electronically and have not been edited or altered in any way.
Clyde Sampson, age 41, has qualified to run in the City of South Fulton’s District 5. He is a baggage handler at Delta Airlines where he has worked for 21 years.
Q1: In what ways have you contributed to the City of South Fulton through community involvement or other initiatives/efforts prior to announcing your candidacy?
A1: I’m an active participant in my HOA and I support as many community events as possible.
Q2: What is the most pressing issue you believe the City of South Fulton is facing and what will you do to address it?
A2: The most pressing issue in the City of South Fulton is our Image. In the media we are portrayed as a city overcome with criminal activity. I think this could change by coming together and establishing a standard of living and going on a PR campaign to promote our standard of living. Our image as a clean and safe city would attract more millennials who are looking to settle down and raise a family.
Q3: What experience and/or training do you have that makes you uniquely qualified to hold office in the city?
A3: I have a BA from Georgia State in Film and I am pursuing another degree at Georgia State in Accounting. I am also I lead organizer for the Delta Ramp organizing committee as we seek union representation. I’m also a good listener.
Q4: In your opinion, how can the City of South Fulton spur economic development?
A4: Economic growth will come as our household incomes increase. This can come by more collective bargaining agreements at our place of employment and more skill building for adults seeking a higher paying occupation. It also will come when our city invests more in providing a clean environment for companies to operate.
Q5: What measures would you champion in order to combat crime and keep residents safe?
A5: To combat crime we need more lighting and more cameras throughout the city to deter and help capture criminals. We also have to create ordinances that target absentee landlords who rent to criminals. My subdivision has seen drastic changes as people moved out and were replaced with families with a higher standard of living.
Q6: What policy(s) do you hope to introduce that the current council has not yet implemented?
A6: I hope to introduce a resurgence program similar to the City of Atlanta. We have a lot of vacant properties in our city that are eyesores. I’m hoping we can give investors or private citizens incentives to rehab these properties and turn them into something that can contribute to the well being of the city. We also need to put pressure of the owners who want to sit on dilapidated properties and not make the repairs. If they won’t make the necessary repairs in a timely manner then ownership needs to be transferred over to the city.
Q7: Have you been endorsed by any elected officials (past or present), political or faith leaders, associations or organizations?
A7: I have never been endorsed by a public figure or organization.
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