Dear City of Covington Residents,
In the second installment of “A Letter from the Mayor,” I want to address something that is everyone’s responsibility. Age, race, religion and income have no bearing on it. In fact, the more diversity we can bring to it, the better. I’m referring to Community Involvement. That is a simple term that has a broad meaning. And most likely, means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.
The bottom line is this: to have a thriving community that prospers, where commerce booms and citizens become tighter knit, people have to be involved. It might be church involvement, little league or recreational sports.
Perhaps participating in activities on the Covington Square like concerts or the numerous holiday events we have. Volunteering might be one of the most important forms of community involvement. Volunteering at a church during a food drive or a back to school activity are obviously worthy causes.
What about civic involvement? When is the last time you attended a City Council meeting? You have a standing invitation to come. Did you vote during the last election? How about volunteering on a committee that interests you. You can get involved in that by contacting your council member.
Now that I have pointed out ways you can become involved, let me share a few ways the city of Covington is working to help make it easier for you to become involved. Our website has undergone some changes and will get a complete re-launch in the near future focusing on usability.
The city now has a person dedicated to communication and we have a new Facebook page that is updated regularly. We are constantly working with our local media outlets to keep them aware of what is happening in our city. Don’t forget about our local access cable television channels as a great source of information.
Too many times there seems to be a disconnect between elected officials and the citizens they represent. I believe this is mainly because government has made it difficult for people to share their thoughts and over time people become detached and like they don’t have a voice to make a difference. I will promise you this… as long as I’m the Mayor of your city I will continue to create ways to ensure I’m representing the interests or our entire community.
We have been blessed in Covington in the past and I’m happy to say the future is looking great. I believe if we take the time to communicate and share all the facts, the vast majority of the time we will come to a common understanding.
My hope is with your help we can work together in ways that have never been seen in government to formulate a process allowing all citizens to have a say with the direction we point the compass for our wonderful city. I’ll have more detailed information on that process to share soon…
Further, I’m optimistic that together we can create a way to get all citizens involved at a level and a consistency that fosters a powerful community movement that has a common goal. That goal is to make our city the number one place to work, play and live in the state of Georgia.
I have invested in this community because I believe in this community and I believe in the people that live in our community. I ask you to please get involved. Find a way that works for you and become a part of the team with the simple goal of making Covington second to none.
As usual, I welcome your feedback. Send me a note at rjohnston@cityofcovington.org or give me a call at 770-262-1001. I’d love to hear from you.
Your friend and mayor,
Ronnie Johnston
