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Meet the Mayor
Mayor William "Bill" Edwards was elected as the City of South Fulton’s first mayor on April 18, 2017, with a 60-percent majority vote. He took the oath of office 10 days later and immediately hit the ground running, conducting his first city council meeting where an interim city manager, city clerk, and interim city attorney were hired.
No newcomer to public service, Edwards tirelessly served from 2000 to 2014 as District 7 commissioner on the Fulton County Commission. He was elected the commission’s vice chairman in 2003, 2008, 2009, and 2010.
Education and Career
Edwards is an illustrious member of the Class of 1972 from Morehouse College, where he was a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and earned a bachelor’s degree in business. He earned a law degree from the Atlanta School of Law in 1980. For nearly 40 years, he operated the Edwards Agency, an independent representative of Allstate Insurance on Old National Highway.
Personal
A member of Cascade United Methodist Church, Edwards has received numerous honors, including the South Fulton Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Citizen Awards and the Martin Luther King, Jr., Community Service Award. He is the proud father of three adult children, William Jr., Erika, and Johnishia; and the grandfather of Sierra, William III, Morgan, McKenzie, Jamiah, Wesley, and Lillian.
- Letter from the Mayor
- Chat with the Mayor
- Let’s Talk
- State of the City Address
- Mayor's Community Walk
Dear friends and neighbors,
Thank you for the opportunity to serve as Mayor of the wonderful City of South Fulton. It truly is the highlight of my political career.
When I first ran for Mayor, I sought to work with residents to build upon the unique character and valuable assets already possessed by our community. I promised to foster a government that works for residents and enhances their quality of life.
As we continue to grow, we’ve done just that. We’ve put together one of the best police forces in the state with a focus on community policing. Partnering with Georgia Tech, we developed a new beat design that places more officers on the street in better-focused areas. The result? Response times have decreased significantly and officers have more time for proactive patrolling and connecting with residents. Through our efforts, we’ve reduced class-one crimes by 16 percent.
We’ve also worked to build a world-class fire department – adding personnel, new engines and more than $1 million in equipment to support their efforts. Firefighters and emergency medical technicians undergo special training, allowing them to better render aid to residents with special needs and develop tools to ensure their own physical and mental health in a stressful job.
You asked for better parks and recreation opportunities as well as cultural programs. We completed a parks master plan with heavy input from residents and are implementing what you said you wanted. The city’s new urban redevelopment agency secured more than $17 million to improve parks and other facilities. We acquired two arts centers and developed a strong program of classes and a schedule of performances by such renowned partners as the Atlanta Opera, Serenbe Institute and True Colors.
To encourage healthy economic development, and the financial benefits it brings, we created a development authority as well as our own convention and visitors’ bureau. Two main street offices – one in the Red Oak community on Roosevelt Highway and one on Old National Highway, our two major commercial districts – support businesses in those areas. Local entrepreneurs can connect with the CollabSouth, our business resource center, for assistance in launching their own small enterprises.
Today, the City of South Fulton stands on solid financial ground with a strong budget and healthy reserves to get us through any challenges. Our staff ranks among the most-skilled, knowledgeable and innovative in the state. Through their efforts – and your collaboration – we are poised for positive growth.
These are just a few of the many things we’ve accomplished in the short life of our city. We’re not slowing down as we pursue many more great things on the horizon that will make the City of South Fulton where you to want to be.
Have you ever had a question about the city and just wanted a quick, straight answer? Mayor William “Bill” Edwards welcomes those questions and schedules regular events with the public through Chat with the Mayor.
Keeping the sessions informal, Edwards invites residents to town hall-style settings. There are no formal presentations or large panel discussions. The mayor opens each session with a brief overview of recent city events and initiatives. He then opens the floor to questions, which he answers with assistance from the city manager.
The most-recent chats have been virtual, with the mayor interviewing guest experts about pertinent topics and answering viewers’ questions. Check out the latest chats below.
Let’s talk is an informative video series in which Mayor William “Bill” Edwards interviews city leaders about their roles and the departments they lead. Each episode provides key insight into the city’s operations. Check out the latest videos in the Let’s Talk series below.
Each year, Mayor William “Bill” Edwards updates the community on the city’s achievements from the previous year during his State of the City Address. The messages also include a preview of current and upcoming initiatives and events.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no 2020 address. You can view the 2019 message.
Each month during the spring summer and fall, the Mayor’s Walk connects the community with the city's administrative to identify key issues and concerns of the community.
During the events, city leaders walk a key corridors and speak face-to-face with residents, business owners and community organizations, who are encouraged to ask questions and make suggestions for improving city services.
At the end of each event, the city documents each issues raised and publishes them in a report which tracks their resolution. City staff follows up with the involved departments at 30, 60 and 90-day intervals and provides updates at each checkpoint period until all issues have been resolved.
Local organizations, area merchants, home owner associations and other community partners are invited to participate in the Mayor's Walk. For more information, contact Communications Specialist Sheena Screen in the Department of Communications and External Affairs at sheena.screen@cityofsouthfultonga.gov.