Fuller deserves 4 more years

Editorial
Published: August 25, 2008

The last four years has seen two central themes in Opelika: industrial growth and privatization of public works. One is a sign of prosperity. The other is a sign of controversy.

Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller said government should operate like a business. As the city’s CEO since 2004, Fuller has overseen a financial windfall for the city. Opelika earned $13.6 million in sales tax revenue in 2005, Fuller’s first year in office, compared to $11.7 in 2004. From then on, the dollars have kept flowing in. Opelika earned $15.5 million in 2006, $16.4 million in 2007 and is budgeted to receive $17.1 million for the fiscal year 2008.

With an increase in commercialization on the horizon, this growing trend should continue.

You’ve got to hand it to challenger Rainer Meadows. The Opelika banker is passionate about not only attracting young families to Opelika – but keeping the city an attractive place for them to reside permanently. Meadows’ thoughts on quality housing, keeping Opelika’s schools among the state’s best and ensuring the workforce at the local industries have a strong Opelika flavor, are worth considering.

But Fuller’s tenure as mayor is worth continuing.

When Environment Services Group was selected to take over the city’s public works, it created quite a stir at city hall, and remains a point of contention with many. But it’s hard to argue that the results – while still uncertain – have been as bad as some predicted. The results might actually be better.

Ushering through the ESG decision the way Fuller and the council did may not have been in the best manner and many would agree other bids, or options, should have been considered in a deliberate manner. It is worth noting that Meadows said he would not have supported privatization of city employees.

That aside, there is more to Fuller’s four years as mayor than ESG.

It’s hard to argue that economic development in Opelika is not growing on a path to prosperity. Whether or not TigerTown was Fuller’s baby, it did develop under his watch, and the continuous flow of industry and jobs headed into the northeast industrial park – and the financial promise that Celebrate Alabama has to offer — can be a credit to the mayor.

The argument some have made whether Fuller chose to send his children to public schools in Opelika is really not an issue to the quality of life for today’s Opelika citizens. Opelika is enjoying a high quality of life and all signs are that the future is bright. There is no reason to disrupt the progress being made.

Economic development is headed in the right direction.

Potential for employment opportunities is headed in the right direction.

Schools, despite the growing needs, are headed in the right direction.

For that matter, the city of Opelika is headed in the right direction. We don’t see a compelling enough reason to change course.

We believe Gary Fuller has earned another four years as Opelika’s mayor.