GLENNVILLE, Ga. (WSAV) — In the rural City of Glennville, two men are challenging the current mayor, Bernie Weaver.

“[Citizens] love it. They love the quiet, laid-back feeling that you have here. We want to maintain that. We want to maintain the dignity that we presently have,” Weaver said about the quiet small city.

Weaver served on the city council for 18 years and is finishing his first term as mayor. In those four years, COVID and inflation were notable issues that the city overcame.

Looking ahead, he says there is room to grow in Glennville.

“It’s hard to improve on perfection, and I know that’s probably not the best thing to say,” Weaver told News 3. “However, we’re going to try to continue to create an atmosphere that’s conducive to growth, positive growth. All growth is not good. We have to kind of work toward that, but we also know government and commerce are two completely different things.”

He says he is the most qualified in the race.

“I can’t think of any other reason. I’ve got a lot of experience. From top to bottom. I think the things that we are doing have just been good for Glennville,” he said.

King is the youngest on the ballot and was born and raised in the area. He has served as councilman of Ward 1 for four years.

He noted the high amount of turnover in city positions.

“I think now we’re stabilized, and we’re ready to move forward with what we have,” he says.

Moving forward involves promoting community engagement, community cleanups, and what he calls “Community think tanks.” King said he also invites growth in the small town.

“It’s all about making sure that we maintain the driver’s seat, making sure that we keep control. It’s all about having those good ordinances, those good codes and good code enforcement to set the standard.”

Malek, an owner of several businesses in the area, says he doesn’t see enough growth in the area.

“30 percent of downtown can be refilled, and we can work with the DDA (Downtown Development Authority) and bring in more shops and more businesses right here,” Malek says. “Also, we have seen that we have a housing crisis. There’s hardly any houses to purchase in Glennville nor a place that anybody can rent. We can definitely help our youth because that’s our next generation.”

His top three goals are to make the city welcoming, pro-growth, and prosperous for all.

The city has enough funding and land, according to Malek.

“We have all the ingredients… just ready to cook.”

All of these men are heavily involved in the community. Each mirrored one another by saying they just wanted to see the City of Glennville thrive.

Election day is November 7th. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.