For the first time in several years the city of Guyton will have two candidates running for mayor. Incumbent Michael Garvin has decided to run again and resident Fred Griffin will run as well.

“I have had numerous people contact me and ask me, ‘please run for mayor,’” Griffin said. “So for the past year I’ve been contemplating it.”

The retired plant manager at Tetley Tea, Inc. in Marietta has been living in Guyton since 1999. Born and raised in Savannah, he nonetheless spent a lot of time as a child visiting Guyton, where his grandparents resided.

In fact, his grandfather owned a pharmacy in town and as a boy Griffin would help him. His wife Claudette was born and raised in Guyton. The house they live in now has been in her family for four generations.

“My roots go way back,” Griffin said.

He’s no novice when it comes to public office, either. He served on both the Garden City and Guyton city councils for two years each. He chaired the planning and zoning commission and served on the recreation committee in Garden City, as well.

Griffin wants to tackle a lot of things, if elected mayor. He pulls out a hand-written list from his pant pocket that notes all his intentions.

“There are a good number of things that I’d like to bring about. The main thing I want to do is try and get people involved — find out what they want Guyton to become,” he said.

Growth is inevitable, he believes. The first thing to address in trying to properly manage growth is getting the water and sewer problems resolved.

He isn’t sure that having its own sewage treatment plant is the best option.

“I’d certainly want to evaluate that,” he said.

Griffin also wants to take a look at all the personnel positions and how work is carried out at the city level.

“Might be a better way of doing things,” he noted of these “processes.” “Just because we used them 10 years ago, doesn’t mean they’re relevant today.”

One personnel position he strongly favors is city manager. He believes Guyton needs a full-time administrator.

“The mayor’s job is not a full-time job,” Griffin said. “Our current mayor has two additional jobs in addition to his job as the mayor; it can’t be a full-time job for him. Before that, our previous mayor C.D. Dean, bless his heart, he spent a lot of time at City Hall because he was retired and he could spend that much time.”

However, he makes it clear that he cannot devote that kind of time. He has a family and he works part-time at a funeral home.

“I can’t spend 100 percent of my time down there,” he said.

Griffin is the treasurer of the Effingham County Veterans Park and he sings in the choir and serves as a deacon at Guyton Christian Church. The father of two and grandfather of four lives right down the road from his daughter and her family. His son resides in Canton.

He also pointed to the need for sound fiscal responsibility, while also planning for the growth of the police and fire departments.

Griffin describes the Rails to Trails project as being “stuck” in DOT. He wants to make sure it gets on track and completed.

“That was a project that I was working on when I was on city council,” he said.

The project will include sidewalks, benches and fountains along the median down Central Boulevard.

Griffin stressed how important citizen involvement is to him.

“That’s one of the main things I want,” he acknowledged. “No one person has all the answers.”

He describes his leadership style as being no-nonsense.

“I am demanding, fair. I believe in people doing the job that they’re assigned to do without having to stand over them all the time,” Griffin disclosed.

And he sees nothing wrong with competition.

“Since I’ve lived here the mayor has never had any opposition. I like Michael Garvin a lot, a friend of mine, but I don’t think competition hurts,” Griffin said.

Despite the impending growth, Griffin wants Guyton to retain its small town atmosphere and historic downtown.

“I can sit here on my porch and enjoy,” he said. “I come out and have my coffee and read my paper first thing every morning and watch the people go by and my wife and I walk or ride our bikes ... it’s just a wonderful place and it’s a great place for children to grow up.”

Griffin’s platform
• Fully supports hiring a city manager
• Wants an ordinance in place to address litter
• Evaluate all personnel positions and processes
• Ensure fiscal responsibility
• Complete Rails to Trails project
• Evaluate current infrastructure