NORTH FORSYTH — Citing a desire to see several projects completed, District 4 Forsyth County Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills has announced she will seek a second term in the May 24 Republican Party primary.
“I decided that there were so many things that were left undone that I wanted to see come to fruition,” Mills said. “The parks, transportation, things that I’ve started, I would like to see all the way through. I’d like to see them done for the people in my district.”
Mills’ district covers much of north Forsyth. Among the projects are the completion of Matt Community and Lanierland parks, as well as construction of a Ga. 400 interchange at Hwy. 369.
Mills, a county native and lifelong resident, was elected to office in 2012, defeating incumbent Patrick Bell in a runoff.
She may face a challenge this year from north Forsyth resident Kelli Warren, who reportedly plans to run for the seat. However, repeated attempts to reach Warren for comment and confirm her campaign bid have not been successful.
Commissioners in Forsyth are elected by district-only voting. Qualifying for the primary is set for March 7-11.
Also up for election this year are the District 2 and 5 posts on the commission.
Local business executive and investment adviser Rick Swope has said he will run for the District 2 post held by Brian Tam, who has not declared whether he will seek re-election.
In District 5, Justin Hawkins, a pharmaceutical sales representative, has announced his intention to challenge incumbent Jim Boff, who will be seeking a third term.
Mills is a mother of two and grandmother of two, who worships at Oak Grove Baptist Church, where she is a Sunday school teacher. She is also a member of the North Forsyth 400 Rotary and serves on the United Way of Forsyth County’s board of directors.
Professionally, Mills is president of CMC Trucking Company and a real estate agent with Bryan Properties. She was formerly the general manager of Lanierland Music Park.
As a commissioner, Mills has supported efforts to keep Ga. 400 and Hwy. 369 clean, as well as public-private partnerships to make improvements to interchanges.
“I’m wanting to see all the exit ramps and on ramps of [Ga.] 400 with beautification projects that I’m wanting to do that I’ve seen in other counties,” she said. “I’d like to taker the ‘stop litter’ campaign and do a lot more.”
She said she would also like to see some of those efforts expand from north Forsyth.
“I hope that the people in my district have seen what I’ve done so far, and that they will put their trust and faith in me to see it all the way through,” Mills said. “I’ve got things that are just in the beginning stages that I’m wanting to see go countywide.
“I’ve started on a domestic violence task force with the sheriff and I’d like to expound upon that and do a lot more [there],” she said. “I’m real involved in the nonprofits and I’d like to do a lot more with mental illness … helping get a lot of our mental illness out of the jail.”