CELINA-Celina Mayor Willie Kerr announced last week he will not be a candidate for re-election in the upcoming 2017 City elections this spring.

Mayor Willie Kerr

Kerr also looked back on the accomplishments and progress made during the past eight years.
“I am very grateful to have served as your mayor for the last eight years,” Kerr said in making the announcement. “After a lot of thought, I’ve decided not to run again. I appreciate the cooperation of everyone during my two terms as mayor, and I wish the next mayor and board of alderman the best.
“I hope everyone will get out and vote in the city election next June.”
Kerr said the city has been involved in many projects and improvements since he first took office in 2009.
“We’ve been able to accomplish a lot, and there’s still work to do,” Kerr said. “The city has been awarded a $465,000 grant to run a sidewalk from the intersection just below the hospital all the way to the downtown area, which will be a big help to not only our local residents, but tourists as they visit our area. That project will start sometime in 2017.”
Kerr pointed out the following things that have been accomplished and completed during the past eight years:
• a new City Hall,
• a new, fully equipped maintenance building with a security fence,
* four new water tanks, plus the rehab of an existing tank, including a new road to the Garrett Mountain tank,
• the rehabilitation of several water lines in the city system, including the Shankey Branch area,
• the lowering of a sewer/water tap cost from $1,200 to $700,
• the paving of the two major city streets’
• 24-hour police coverage and new police cars,
• improved work truck and dump truck,
• flood and drainage grant and projects,
• sewer plant improvements, along with sewer line rehab and repairs,
• cleanup and mowing Donaldson Park,
• city beautification projects and some sidewalk repair,
• acquisition of lights at the main intersection on the bypass,
• additional street lights,
• the hiring of a city property maintenance and inspections official, who is state-certified, and
• the mayor and city receiving the Upper Cumberland Development District “Rebuild Tennessee” award.
“Working together, I feel like we’ve been able to make many improvements over the last eight years,” Kerr said. “A lot of these things had to be done, but some of them are things that we saw the need for, and were able to get them done.
“Our water and sewer systems are in much better shape than eight years ago, but there will always be a need for improvement and upgrades. Every so often, these improvements have to be done, and we’ve been able to get them done.”
Kerr said he appreciated all the votes and support he has received.
“It’s been an honor to have been elected to serve as your mayor twice,” he said. “I wish the next administration the best as they begin to serve in July of 2017.”