Newborn Mayor Roger Sheridan is 92 years old, and he said he has unfinished business in his efforts to improve the town he’s called home for 41 years.
Sheridan is seeking a second term as mayor of Newborn, and if elected, he plans to finish multiple projects in progress, including building up the shoulder to fix a dangerously steep drainage system and installing sidewalks on South Johnson Street; installing sidewalks on Ga. Highway 142 from Ga. Highway 229 to the Dollar General; and working with Baxter International employees who are interested in moving to the Newborn area. He also listed a rails-to-trails project as a future goal; the town has for years been discussing the possibility of converting the no-longer-used Norfolk Southern rail line through town into a walking trail.
“Several people have come up to me and asked me if I’m going to run again. They’d like for me to run again. And looking into things we’ve started and are partially completed, it would be nice to finish them,” Sheridan said, noting many projects have completed the engineering phase but need to bid out and be constructed.
“We have a team of a town board; they’ve done a good job and it would be nice to continue with them,” he said.
Sheridan pointed to Newborn’s accomplishments during the past four years, including building a public park next to the town hall and paving all unpaved streets, including County Creek Road, Tanyard Court, Hilltop Drive, Valley Street, Robertson Road, Field Street, Nelson Street, Davis Road and Duke Street.
A local resident has tried to research whether Sheridan is the oldest mayor in the state and nation, and Sheridan said no older official has been found.
“Everybody needs a challenge, and you don’t want to throw all of your experience away. This has been a situation where I can take my experience and put it to use. It’s a challenge to me,” Sheridan said. “We have a very, very good town board that has worked together and cooperated. We haven’t had any squabbles like other towns, and we’ve worked together to get the job done. They should be complimented.”
Sheridan is a retired U.S. Army captain, worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and was a professional engineer and land surveyor. In his 48 years as an engineer, he managed projects in more than 32 countries and 18 states, building airports, dams, ports, highways, buildings and water treatment plants. He worked on projects as large as $500 million.
Born in Dallas, Texas, Sheridan was raised in Indiana and moved to Newton County in 1972 when he was assigned to work on the I-75 project in Henry County. He and his wife Shirley have been married for 69 years and have six children.
Other Newborn council seats up for election are Post 3, held by Tom Krieger, and Post 4, held by Martha Ellwanger. Qualifying fees are $25 for council members and $30 for the mayor. Qualifying will be from 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m, Aug. 26-30 at Newborn Town Hall, 4224 Ga. Highway 142.
Sheridan is a retired U.S. Army captain, worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and was a professional engineer and land surveyor. In his 48 years as an engineer, he managed projects in more than 32 countries and 18 states, building airports, dams, ports, highways, buildings and water treatment plants. He worked on projects as large as $500 million.
Born in Dallas, Texas, Sheridan was raised in Indiana and moved to Newton County in 1972 when he was assigned to work on the I-75 project in Henry County. He and his wife Shirley have been married for 69 years and have six children.
Other Newborn council seats up for election are Post 3, held by Tom Krieger, and Post 4, held by Martha Ellwanger. Qualifying fees are $25 for council members and $30 for the mayor.
Qualifying will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m, Aug. 26-30 at Newborn Town Hall, 4224 Ga. Highway 142.
