Metro Atlanta comprises 60-plus cities; each month we introduce one municipality and its mayor.
Sixty-six-year-old Jere Wood was raised in Roswell, and he’s damn proud of what it’s become: a mix of sophistication, hi-y’all gentility, and riverfront recreation. In 1997, Wood defeated a 31-year incumbent to take the part-time position, which pays $40,000. Outside of city hall, he’s a “small-town lawyer” who often represents small businesses.
Local boyhood “It was a town of 2,500, and now it’s a town of 90,000-plus. It’s sort of like a child who grows up but maintains the same personality.”
The “Riverwalk Village” proposal “If approved, it will be transformational. Located within the 400 corridor and on the Chattahoochee River—that’s a pretty unique combination.”
Core value “The biggest transformation is the historic district. The Canton Street area is probably the hottest little OTP entertainment district.”
Suburban Virginia-Highland? “It’s better. [laughs] People like me, who grew up in the suburbs, like urban amenities, but we’re a little intimidated by the whole urban-gritty thing.”
This article originally appeared in our April 2015 issue.
