Savannah Morning News, Here are the qualified candidates for the Pooler city elections on Nov. 7

As of August 28, 2023, Wesley Bashlor’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Natural Resources & the Environment

Housing & Urban Development

Public Safety

Wants to help enhance and develop the growth of Pooler.

- Wants to help enhance and develop the growth of Pooler.

Public Services

Transportation & Infrastructure

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Wesley Bashlor

Savannah Business Journal, Aaron C Higgins of Pooler City Council appointed to Serve on National League of Cities’ Small Cities Council

Savannah Business Journal, Aaron C Higgins appointed to the Municipal Training Board of the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute

City of Pooler, Councilman Aaron Higgins

Advocates for protecting Pooler’s natural wetland areas by pursuing grants that help cities purchase and preserve land.

- Advocates for protecting Pooler’s natural wetland areas by pursuing grants that help cities purchase and preserve land.

As of August 28, 2023, Aaron C. Higgins’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Advocates for the construction of a “state-of-the-art live fire training tower/building” for the Pooler Fire Department.

Wants to expand training programs for the Pooler Fire Department.

Supports the creation of “low-cost, publicly accessible training programs, such as Red Cross CPR certification, Stop the Bleed, and verbal conflict resolution”.

- Advocates for the construction of a “state-of-the-art live fire training tower/building” for the Pooler Fire Department.
- Wants to expand training programs for the Pooler Fire Department.
- Supports the creation of “low-cost, publicly accessible training programs, such as Red Cross CPR certification, Stop the Bleed, and verbal conflict resolution”.

Supports the construction of a library in Pooler that includes “additional indoor and outdoor space for local events”.

Proposes the creation of a Smart Growth Economic Development Strategy, a step-by-step guide used by small and mid-sized cities to build a place-based economic development strategy.

As a city council member, worked with other councilmembers to rewrite the alcohol ordinance of Pooler.

- Supports the construction of a library in Pooler that includes “additional indoor and outdoor space for local events”.
- Proposes the creation of a Smart Growth Economic Development Strategy, a step-by-step guide used by small and mid-sized cities to build a place-based economic development strategy.
- As a city council member, worked with other councilmembers to rewrite the alcohol ordinance of Pooler.

Supports the implementation of strategies to manage traffic.

Wants to interconnect dead-end neighborhoods.

Wants to promote non-car solutions such as trams, bikes, and e-scooters.

Supports investing in public transportation options.

- Supports the implementation of strategies to manage traffic.
- Wants to interconnect dead-end neighborhoods.
- Wants to promote non-car solutions such as trams, bikes, and e-scooters.
- Supports investing in public transportation options.

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Aaron C. Higgins

As of August 28, 2023, David "Dave" Legasse’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Wants pay and benefits for police, firefighters, and first responders to be “appropriate and comparable to surrounding cities”.

- Wants pay and benefits for police, firefighters, and first responders to be “appropriate and comparable to surrounding cities”.

Wants to divide Pooler into three or more districts.

Supports the establishment of a charter school in Pooler.

Wants to develop and initiate a new master plan for Pooler.

Supports the creation of places and programs designed for young people, families, and older adults.

- Wants to divide Pooler into three or more districts.
- Supports the establishment of a charter school in Pooler.
- Wants to develop and initiate a new master plan for Pooler.
- Supports the creation of places and programs designed for young people, families, and older adults.

Wants to address the needs of older neighborhoods in Pooler.

- Wants to address the needs of older neighborhoods in Pooler.

David "Dave" Legasse

As of August 28, 2023, John M. Wilcher did not have a website or any information online.

Wants to improve the quality of life for Pooler residents

- Wants to improve the quality of life for Pooler residents

John M. Wilcher

Issuu, Pooler Magazine - July/August 2017

As of October 3, 2023, Maribeth Lindler did not have a website or any information online.

SavannahNow, GA primary election: Stunning results in Georgia, Chatham County elections

In 2022, stated that “teachers need higher salaries”.

In 2022, supported more resources being provided for public schools, stating that she wanted to “see enough money for those schools so they can build bigger schools”.

- In 2022, stated that “teachers need higher salaries”.
- In 2022, supported more resources being provided for public schools, stating that she wanted to “see enough money for those schools so they can build bigger schools”.

Maribeth Lindler

City of Pooler, GA, Councilwoman Shannon Black

As of August 28, 2023, Melanie Shannon Black did not have a website or any information online.

Savannah Morning News, Pooler Promenade denied by city council at final meeting of 2019

Savannah Morning News, Pooler preps for recreation boom

As a member of city council, voted to approve the site plan for Pooler Promenade.

As a member of city council, supported the expansion of athletic programs offered through the Pooler Recreation Department.

- As a member of city council, voted to approve the site plan for Pooler Promenade.
- As a member of city council, supported the expansion of athletic programs offered through the Pooler Recreation Department.

WJCL, Pooler holds forum for city council, mayoral candidates

Stated that the city has to “have infrastructure to have development, you can't have development without infrastructure”.

- Stated that the city has to “have infrastructure to have development, you can't have development without infrastructure”.

Melanie Shannon Black

New Politics, Endorsement: Michael Carpenter

As of August 28, 2023, Michael Carpenter’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Proposes the creation of a 24-hour urgent care or hospital facility.

- Proposes the creation of a 24-hour urgent care or hospital facility.

Supports the creation of a local farmers’ market.

Plans to expand community growth with a focus on families.

Wants more youth-friendly attractions and learning centers.

Calls for “pro-businesses policies that encourage innovation, attract investments, and create local job opportunities”.

Intends to “actively engage with and support local entrepreneurs”.

- Supports the creation of a local farmers’ market.
- Plans to expand community growth with a focus on families.
- Wants more youth-friendly attractions and learning centers.
- Calls for “pro-businesses policies that encourage innovation, attract investments, and create local job opportunities”.
- Intends to “actively engage with and support local entrepreneurs”.

Supports reducing the total amount of carbon pollution.

Wants to focus on road expansion to resolve traffic issues.

Plans to focus on drainage issues in several areas of Pooler.

- Supports reducing the total amount of carbon pollution.
- Wants to focus on road expansion to resolve traffic issues.
- Plans to focus on drainage issues in several areas of Pooler.

Michael Carpenter

City of Pooler, Mayor Rebecca Benton

Pooler Magazine, Mayor Rebecca Benton: A Heart for Her Community

Savannah Morning News, Pooler's Rebecca Benton will be a one-term mayor. Here's why and who she endorsed for the post.

WTOC, Pooler Mayor Rebecca Benton not seeking re-election

Savannah Morning News, Rebecca Benton running for Pooler mayor

As of August 28, 2023, Rebecca C. Benton did not have a website or any information online.

Fox 28 Savannah, Medical cannabis dispensary opens in Pooler, mother speaks to how it helped her daughter

WJCL 22, It's official: Costco is coming to Pooler

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Supports the construction of a library in Pooler.

As mayor, supported the establishment of Costco in Pooler.

As mayor, supported the establishment of a Botanical Sciences dispensary in Pooler. Botanical Sciences is Georgia's first physician-owned medical cannabis provider.

- Supports the construction of a library in Pooler.
- As mayor, supported the establishment of Costco in Pooler.
- As mayor, supported the establishment of a Botanical Sciences dispensary in Pooler. Botanical Sciences is Georgia's first physician-owned medical cannabis provider.

WTOC, TSPLOST voted down in Chatham County

As mayor, supported the Transportation Special Purpose Sales Tax (TSPLOST), which included a 1% sales tax on goods and services in order to allocate money to fixing roads and other transportation projects in Chatman County.

- As mayor, supported the Transportation Special Purpose Sales Tax (TSPLOST), which included a 1% sales tax on goods and services in order to allocate money to fixing roads and other transportation projects in Chatman County.

Rebecca C. Benton

As of August 28, 2023, Ruthie Woodard did not have a website or any information online.

Supports the use of taxes, user charges, and payments from other levels of government to facilitate the growth of Pooler.

- Supports the use of taxes, user charges, and payments from other levels of government to facilitate the growth of Pooler.

Ruthie Woodard

As of September 1, 2023, Shirlenia Daniel’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Issuu, For Such a Time as This (Pooler Magazine - August/September 2023)

Promotes community engagement, especially among the youth.

Advocates for financial stability and economic growth through employment and professional development opportunities.

Wants entrepreneurs to have greater access to guidance, resources, and support.

Wants to restore and maintain healthy families.

- Promotes community engagement, especially among the youth.
- Advocates for financial stability and economic growth through employment and professional development opportunities.
- Wants entrepreneurs to have greater access to guidance, resources, and support.
- Wants to restore and maintain healthy families.

Supports “positive business relationships to build safe infrastructure”.

- Supports “positive business relationships to build safe infrastructure”.

Shirlenia Daniel

WSAV, Chaos and questions at Pooler City Hall

As of August 28, 2023, Thomas "Tom" Hutcherson’s website did not contain information on this issue.

As a city council member, helped organize a drive to assist Senior Living facilities in Pooler that were experiencing mask shortages.

- As a city council member, helped organize a drive to assist Senior Living facilities in Pooler that were experiencing mask shortages.

Advocates for term limits and staggered elections.

Advocates for diversity and greater citizen participation.

Wants to create partnerships between the city and local schools starting with a Youth Council.

As a city council member, contributed to the development of the Pooler 2040 Comprehensive Plan.

As a city council member, founded the Pooler Juneteenth Celebration Committee and chaired Pooler’s first ever Juneteenth celebrations two years in a row.

As a city council member, approved expansion for the recreation program to include a tennis & pickleball facility.

- Advocates for term limits and staggered elections.
- Advocates for diversity and greater citizen participation.
- Wants to create partnerships between the city and local schools starting with a Youth Council.
- As a city council member, contributed to the development of the Pooler 2040 Comprehensive Plan.
- As a city council member, founded the Pooler Juneteenth Celebration Committee and chaired Pooler’s first ever Juneteenth celebrations two years in a row.
- As a city council member, approved expansion for the recreation program to include a tennis & pickleball facility.

Wants to encourage developers to contribute to infrastructure improvements.

Plans to create a purchasing policy that uses additional criteria when awarding contracts, such as local, women, and minority owned businesses.

Wants to focus on outside funding for infrastructure projects.

As a city council member, approved the Pipemakers Canal Widening project as a city council member.

Helped get a $285k grant needed to complete the SR 26/US 80 Corridor study while representing Pooler on the Board of the Municipal Planning Commission.

- Wants to encourage developers to contribute to infrastructure improvements.
- Plans to create a purchasing policy that uses additional criteria when awarding contracts, such as local, women, and minority owned businesses.
- Wants to focus on outside funding for infrastructure projects.
- As a city council member, approved the Pipemakers Canal Widening project as a city council member.
- Helped get a $285k grant needed to complete the SR 26/US 80 Corridor study while representing Pooler on the Board of the Municipal Planning Commission.

Thomas "Tom" Hutcherson

- City council members work together with the rest of city council to set and implement city policy. 
- City council is tasked with ensuring the health, comfort, and safety of residents of the city 
- City council members work with the mayor to govern city departments, such as the police department, fire department, transportation department, and parks and recreation department. 
- City council members represent either the whole city or residents of a specific district. 
- Most city council members in Georgia are elected in odd years to four year terms. Elections are nonpartisan. 
