Meeting the candidates; a look into Albany’s mayoral race

ALBANY, Ga. – There are some major races coming up in the city of Albany in November, and we’ll be taking a look at the men running to be the next mayor of the Good Life City.

First up is current Albany Mayor Bo Dorough who is seeking re-election after what he calls a successful first term.

“I think our city is moving in the right direction, we have unprecedented investment in our recreation facilities. We’re seeing that downtown Albany is finally coming back and we’re working on major projects…” said Mayor Bo Dorough, City of Albany.

Dorough is running against former Albany Commissioner Henry Mathis, local businessman Omar Salaam, and Pastor Antonio Screen.

We managed to catch up with screen following Thursday night’s open candidate forum at Albany State University, with his belief that it’s time for a real change in the city.

“Man, I’m running because I’m ready to see a change here. I think the people are really getting frustrated with the lack of trust between the people and the politics. And, I really want to create an environment here, by being the mayor of this city, where we can actually have trust in that relationship again…” said Antonio Screen, mayoral candidate.

We managed to speak with Salaam Friday afternoon about his campaign platform.

He’s speaking about his past experiences as a business owner in Albany and fostering better relationships in the public.

“…You know I’ve brought some nice events on the river, we did a huge festival at one time. So, I’ve built up a trust over the years with the people with my business, and with the activites I did in the city. So, I have a pretty good reputation here.” said Omar Salaam, mayoral candidate.

And, we asked the candidates why they believe they’ve earned the votes.

“Is Albany in a better position than than we were in four years ago? Demonstrably; the answer is yes. And, for that reason, I think the people of Albany should re-elect me and that’s why I am seeking the office,” said Mayor Bo Dorough, City of Albany.

“…I’ve learned a lot. Through some tough times, but today, I’m a better man than I was yesterday. And our city faces many challenges…And as mayor, that’s my goal. To work with the commissioners, to work with the community, and bring together a comprehensive plan that will address the needs of the city,” said Commissioner Henry Mathis, mayoral candidate.

“We’ve been getting farther and farther behind. All the other towns around us have been accelerating, and advancing and increasing, and it’s time for Albany to arise now. We’re ready to move forward, we’re ready to save our city. And, if they vote for me as mayor, we’re gonna save our city,” said Antonio Screen, mayoral candidate.

“I feel what you feel out there about this city. I love Albany, I want to see it do better and we can do better. We have to have the right type of leadership. We want to have a mayor that’s going to be a mayor for the entire city,” said Omar Salaam, mayoral candidate.

While there’s still some time before election day, the candidates are confident that they’ll be turning the city around and that more changes are coming news.

Brian Roche reporting.

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