Chip Sellers says he’s running for mayor

Published 11:16 pm Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Former Dalton City Councilman Chip Sellers said Tuesday he plans to run for mayor in November.

Current Councilman Terry Christie has already said he will run for the position. Mayor Ray Elrod has said he will not seek re-election.

“I felt like it was a good time to get involved again,” said Sellers, who was on the Dalton City Council from 1987-1990. “I’m interested in seeing us move forward as a community.

“We’ve got a lot going on in the community and I think I could provide leadership in moving the community in a direction that’s positive,” he said.

Sellers, who has worked for Shaw Industries for more than 30 years, is a graduate of Dalton High School and Emory University. He was mayor pro-tem from 1988 to 1990, and served on the Dalton Board of Education from 1994-2001. He was vice chairman of the Board of Education from 1996-2001.

Even though the mayor only casts a vote in the event of a tie, Sellers said he believes the position is more than just a figurehead.

“The mayor clearly is the leader of the council,” he said. “I think it is the mayor’s role to accept input and bring it together cohesively, so the group can move forward. I think the mayor should take the lead in setting a vision and strategy to move forward.”

Sellers said there are several topics he plans to discuss during the campaign, such as further cooperation with Whitfield County and long-term planning. He said he would like to see the city and Dalton Public Schools find additional ways to work together.

Sellers said he supported use of the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) during his time on the City Council and believes it can be beneficial, especially for capital expenses.

Of Dalton’s growing Hispanic population, Sellers said city leaders need to see the positives and accept the fact that the city’s demographics have changed.

He said the floorcovering industry is the area’s economic catalyst and hopes it will continue to be a boon for Dalton.

Two City Council seats will also be on the ballot in November, the seat Christie currently holds and the seat currently held by Bobby Grant. Grant has said he will not seek re-election.

Christie was out of town Tuesday but said last week he expected to have competition in the mayor’s race.

Dick Lowrey and Charlie Bethel are the other members of the council.