The Clayton Crescent sent this candidate survey to all candidates running for Jonesboro City Council. Two seats were vacated when Councilmembers Pat Seb0-Hand and Dr. Donya Sartor announced their candidacies for Jonesboro mayor. Council seats in Jonesboro are all at-large, and all registered voters in the incorporated City of Jonesboro can cast ballots in each council race.
The municipal election is separate from the county election for sheriff, Georgia House District 75, and the Clayton County Schools SPLOST.
Voting in municipal elections now takes place in the City Center community room in the new City Hall. City manager Ricky Clark supervises the municipal election staff.
Voting in the county and state election takes place at seven early voting sites and, on March 21, at your usual county precinct designated by the Clayton County Elections and Registration Office.
Three candidates qualified to run in the two races.
One candidate, real estate attorney Don Dixon, is running unopposed to fill Sebo-Hand’s former seat, which expires on December 31, 2025. The Clayton Crescent invited Dixon to fill out the survey; he did not respond.
Two other candidates, former Jonesboro councilman Alfred Dixon and Arlene Charles, are vying for Sartor’s former seat, which expires December 31 of this year. Both candidates responded to our questions.
The Clayton Crescent does not endorse candidates for office.
Why are you running for city council?
 Alfred Ray Dixon III | “I am going back to city council for my second term because I want to help make decisions that shape our day-to-day lives. Our world is changing and Jonesboro needs leaders that will do the work necessary to ensure the people of Jonesboro have the opportunity to maximize their potential. I want to redefine what a young man in politics looks like. As your representative, you can expect me to bring a fresh approach to the way we take care and love the people in our community.” |
 Arlene Charles | “I am running for Jonesboro City Council to hopefully make a difference, in working with the mayor, fellow councilmembers, in backing our public safety commission, maintain transparency, trust, focus on citizens’ concerns and support our businesses, and lastly, to give the utmost support to our seniors and our youths.” |
How many years have you lived in Jonesboro?
Alfred Ray Dixon III | “I moved to Jonesboro in 2003 and have resided in the city since 2012.” |
Arlene Charles | “21 years.” |
What will you do to ensure the county provides the City of Jonesboro with a full-service downtown branch library?
Alfred Ray Dixon III | “I want Jonesboro’s officials and citizens to have a voice in the plans for the library. I want the library to be adaptable to the changing needs of the community. A true state-of-the-art library that includes co-working spaces for virtual learning and working, space for our creatives, technology labs for extended learning and employment purposes, and the latest technology for our youth to explore advanced career opportunities. With very little opportunities for the youth to escape from the day-to-day pressures of life, I want the library to be a place of exploration for them.” |
Arlene Charles | “I will attend the county commission’s meetings, listen to the commission’s discussion [and] proposals and will discuss same with my fellow councilmembers, called a special council meeting to informed our citizens and get their input.” |
With new subdivisions and senior housing in the city, how will you address increased motor vehicle traffic?
Alfred Ray Dixon III | “I feel it’s important to our growth to put a focus on how we get around the city. A study shows 89% of children who lived within a mile of school walked or biked daily in 1972. Today the number is 35%. I would use our new developments as an opportunity to explore and promote safer facilities, sidewalk, and lane enhancements for our walkers, runners, and bikers, while encouraging a healthy lifestyle and providing alternative ways to get around the city.” |
Arlene Charles | “Will encourage mayor and fellow councilmembers to have discussions with the Georgia’ Department of Transportation for future studies and directions.” |
What will you do to get more citizens to come to council meetings?
Alfred Ray Dixon III | “I want us to be an approachable municipality. We must take the guesswork out of government to pull the citizens in. I would like to host a citizen engagement series that will share “Everything Jonesboro” with residents, including city updates, taxes, various departments, events, board and volunteer opportunities. Re-imagining how we communicate with our community to push information will be key.” |
Arlene Charles | “While campaigning, citizens are being encouraged to attend the council meeting, will continue doing so upon my win.” |
What are the two most pressing issues facing the City of Jonesboro?
Alfred Ray Dixon III | “I feel that two of the most pressing issues facing the city are housing [and] transient crime. The City of Jonesboro is working tirelessly to bring feasible housing options into the city while still maintaining its small-town charm. Across America, affordable housing is a hot-button topic that affects everyone. Post-COVID, we have found ourselves in a place where the average person struggles to meet the requirements to consider home ownership as a viable option for their family. Jonesboro is a safe city, but it’s also a pass-through city. Many of the crimes that take place are the result of people that come into our city, not our citizens. We have a police department that keeps an active hand on these crimes, to protect the lives of our citizens, their investments, and our stakeholders.” |
Arlene Charles | “Keeping public service employees and traffic congestion in the city downtown.” |
What will you do to preserve historic architecture in the city, including but not limited to the Main Street assemblage on the National Register of Historic Places?
Alfred Ray Dixon III | “I would love to see the city have a dedicated historical society that handles the preservation of the city’s past. It’s important to future generations to know the rich history of this great city.” |
Arlene Charles | “To make sure we have a very strong, committed Jonesboro Historic Preservation Commission.” |
What is your approach to working with other councilmembers?
Alfred Ray Dixon III | “I recognize the value of teamwork and consensus building. I’ve seen through my training experience with the Georgia Municipal Association that city councils whose members work together as a team, with respect and understanding that one may have a difference in opinion, are more effective and can accomplish much more. Everything depends on teamwork. I would take the opportunity at our council planning retreats to better understand our mayor and council and their approach and plans for a better Jonesboro. I look forward to helping develop their creative ideas.” |
Arlene Charles | “Respect, understand their points of views on issues.” |
What will you do to protect the city’s natural resources over the next five years?
Alfred Ray Dixon III | “I would research best practices from around the country in regards to waste segregation, recycling, upcycling, and composting for municipalities. When you transform something old into something new, it benefits the environment in a number of ways. Effective waste segregation will contribute to natural resource conservation. The city was recently awarded a $75,000 city agriculture plan, a grant through Foodwell Alliance and the ARC, and I look forward to exploring different initiatives and programs that can be implemented all while expanding our beautification efforts.” |
Arlene Charles | “Listen and work with the experts.” |
After this election, should the city contract with the county to run the City of Jonesboro’s municipal elections?
Alfred Ray Dixon III | “After this election, yes, the city should contract with the county to handle the elections. Yes, there is cost involved, but we can’t rest in the way that things have always been done. This may very well be the reason for low voter turnout. The world changed in 2020. People were forced to become more aware of the world around them. To move forward, we can’t continue to rest on doing things as they have always been done. To keep our citizens at the forefront, we can’t expect them to do their part if minimal is being done to inform them, if we are not preparing them. Not every citizen can rely on Facebook or the city app when we have an aging community. It is our duty to streamline the processes for our citizens. Voting can be an intimidating process if you’re ill-informed. We want more from our community, and simplifying the process for them to have their voices heard is a service that I am willing to stand behind, for the sake of our community.” |
Arlene Charles | “No.” |
How will you make the city more welcoming for people from all walks of life?
Alfred Ray Dixon III | “Inclusivity creates cities that are stronger, more stable, and it will motivate our residents to be civically engaged. We are one great community with many stories. I would look to establish an advisory board that will ensure everyone has equal access to information and can voice their opinions about their economic status, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, etc.” |
Arlene Charles | “Continue to keep our city clean, work with the county’s tourism bureau and show the diversity in our city and county.” |
What should the city do to address homelessness?
Alfred Ray Dixon III | “It will take collaboration between our public and private sectors to address homelessness in our communities. We must take a coordinated data-driven approach to see where our resources should be allocated. I would look to Houston, a city who has a large homeless population, that has been successful in reducing homelessness. I will also ensure we have an emergency plan in place so that, when we experience inclement weather, our neighbors that are less fortunate or experience outages will not be forgotten.” |
Arlene Charles | “Set up a homeless task force, to sort out the numbers, reasons, and act accordingly to the needs.” |
What are your thoughts about community policing?
Alfred Ray Dixon III | “Our police department has great community engagement efforts. They are an active department that seeks to partner with community on many levels, through the community garden, by hosting their own events like National Night Out, and participating in citywide events. I would like to see more youth initiatives with the police department.” |
Arlene Charles | “Continue the already programs, such as Coffee with a Cop, special outings in the park, speaking engagements in our schools at all levels, and field trips to our new city center with interactions with our policemen/women.” |
What else should voters know about what you bring to the table?
Alfred Ray Dixon III | “I am coming back to council with more knowledge and a better understanding of the needs of our community. I want to utilize all of the resources at my disposal to continue to further the efforts that our current leadership has put in place. It is my goal to be a voice for the everyday citizen, to be more involved, and to pull in citizens that want to engage with the city, but they may not know how. I want Jonesboro to have a relationship with its citizens that inspires other municipalities.” |
Arlene Charles | “I am not an ‘I’ person. I alone cannot do any of my commitments to you, the citizens, without the mayor and fellow councilmembers. I will work hard with them to make sure your concerns are addressed and that your city will be kept safe and clean.” |
Candidate campaign websites
- Alfred Ray Dixon III
- Arlene Charles
