UPDATED: Candidates And Issues Lining Up In Grayson For November Election

Updated to include information from Grayson regarding Sunday retail sales of alcohol.

Using social media, Mayor Jim Hinkle announced Monday that he would be seeking another term as mayor of Grayson.

“I take great pleasure in announcing that I will be a candidate for the Mayor of Grayson this November,” Hinkle wrote on his Facebook page. “Let's keep Grayson the wonderful, friendly, small town we all love. I ask for your support.”

Hinkle has been the mayor of Grayson for a total of 22 years, 10 after being elected in 1981 until 1993 when he chose not to run and then again continuously since 2001. He had always been elected unopposed until 2009 when, for the first time ever, he faced an opponent in Damon Ladd-Thomas, founder of the Georgia Commerce Club. Hinkle, however, held onto his seat - beating Ladd-Thomas by 260 votes to 54.

Ladd-Thomas said he’s not yet ready to comment on whether he will again be challenging the mayor in November.

Other council posts up for re-election this year are Post 2, currently held by Councilwoman Allison Wilkerson Rooks, and Post 4, currently held by recent appointee Councilwoman Katie Mitchell. Grayson city officials are elected for two-year terms.

Other items that possibly may be on the November ballot are whether or not to allow a package store in the city.

There is also the possibility of a referendum on Sunday retail sales of alcohol that Grayson Administrator Laura Paul-Cone has confirmed will be on the city council agenda in August.

However, it is possible that may be too late - at least for this year.

The Loganville City Council voted Thursday to follow the procedure necessary to allow for the measure to be placed on the November ballot. At that time, Loganville City Attorney Karen Woodward said she would have to call for the Department of Justice to expedite the request in order to comply with time constraints. Woodward said the DOJ has 60 days to consider a request to put the item on the ballot. Even with Loganville approving it last week, Woodward said the city would likely just make the 120-day deadline from the date when the call is issued to when the election is actually held.

However, Grayson officials said they were advised by the their city attorney that putting it on the August agenda would still give them time. Paul-Cone said she did not want businesses to think they might miss out.

"We don't intend to let that happen," Paul-Cone said.

Elections will be Nov. 8. Qualifying in Grayson for mayor and council posts 2 and 4 is Aug. 29 – 31 at Grayson City Hall.