VARNELL, Ga. — When the town’s mayor and city manager attend educational conferences, they are usually in a sea of gray heads.
Mayor Dan Peeples, 30, and City Manager Mark Gibson, 34, work with City Council members whose average age is mid-50s, and in a city where about 28 percent of the population is older than 45.
The duo said they have had some resistance to change, but most people have been outwardly enthusiastic and respectful.
“So far I think the spark of energy that Mark and I have we’re putting to good use,” Mr. Peeples said. “I have tried to surround myself with some very capable people and community leaders, told them what my plan was and kind of got them excited. People might say, ‘I don't know about that young mayor, but that’s a good-quality group there.’”
Mr. Gibson spent one year as the city manager of Alma, Ga., before returning to his hometown of Varnell last August. He said some people question his relative youth, but he’s confident of his abilities.
“Once they understand that I am doing this job, I know how to do this job and I continue to learn, those things usually dissipate,” Mr. Gibson said. “Overall, with the state and Whitfield County officials I don’t get that kind of disrespect, which I appreciate. I do realize I am younger than most people in this position.”
Mr. Peeples, a funeral home director, won the mayoral election in November and took office in January. He said he was inspired in part to run because he knew Mr. Gibson — they both attended the same church youth group as teenagers — and he wanted to be a part of change.
Mr. Gibson even dated the mayor’s sister when he was in high school at Northwest Whitfield.
Among their accomplishments so far the two cite more reliance on technology such as e-mails and faxes than previous administrations. The city will add a Web site in a few months, and the duo is pushing for a community festival for Varnell.
Mr. Peeples also lauded improvements at Varnell’s softball and baseball fields, done with help from the Varnell Athletic Association. The fields have been upgraded with fence caps, roofs over the dugouts and business sponsorships on the outfield walls. New scoreboards are on order.
Frank Crowe, 68, one of the city’s founding fathers and a former councilman and police chief, said the energy the mayor and city manager have generated is not unnoticed.
“I feel our city is probably better off right now than it ever has been,” Mr. Crowe said.
