COVINGTON, Ga. - Retired businesswoman and community activist, Fleeta Baggett, announced she will run for Covington City Council Post 2 East.

“I’m excited to announce my candidacy for Covington City Council East Ward today,” Baggett said in a news release.

“I was born and raised in Covington. I raised my daughter here and I’m proud to call Covington home," she said. "This city has experienced tremendous growth and withstood multiple downturns. I love my community and I think it’s time the Council had a fresh perspective on it. And I believe I’m the one to do that.

“There are a lot of challenges that lay ahead for the City of Covington and I believe I’m prepared to help confront these challenges. We’re currently facing a 22% increase in our utilities over the next five years. We must find a solution that doesn’t place the burden of Georgia Power’s missteps on the backs of our citizens. The City Council must be more fiscally conservative and make necessary cuts. The City needs to absorb a portion of these increases.”

Baggett said maintaining growth in Covington's downtown is one of her top priorities. 

“The continued growth of our Downtown Square will also be another priority of mine," she said. "As someone who built and managed a business on the square, I know the challenges that our merchants are facing. The City Council must find a way to provide additional parking downtown and put policies in place that will let our business owners know they’re a priority.

“Covington is an amazing place and our close proximity to Atlanta makes us a prime spot for development. We must support quality growth and move away from the multitude of apartment complexes that are continually getting zoned. Our zoning regulations need to be tightened and we need to work to build high-quality residential developments that can grow our tax digest. Covington is home to multi-billion dollar corporations, like General Mills and SKC, and I want their employees to call Covington home, not Lake Oconee or Walton County.”

Baggett was born and raised in Covington. She is a graduate of Valdosta State University. She’s a life long member of Covington First United Methodist Church and a devoted mother to her only daughter, Madelyn Baggett. She was the owner and operator of Trinkets, which was located on the square in Covington. 

In 2012, she moved to Daufuskie, South Carolina for several years to run the day to day operations of a local golf course. She’s also a founding investor in Daufuskie Island Rum Company. She retired in 2016 and moved back to Covington full time. She currently serves on the boards of Alcovy CASA and Action Ministry.

“I truly love living in Covington and I’m committed to working to ensure that Covington remains successful, strong and a great place to raise a family," she said.