City Council

Mayor Hays Arnold

Mr. Arnold is serving his first term as Mayor of Thomaston having previously been elected twice Mayor Pro-Tem. He was born in Thomaston and is a graduate of Robert E. Lee High School. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Florida Southern College. Mr. Arnold has also attended Georgia State University and has taken continuing education courses at Georgia Tech. Mr. Arnold successfully completed a number of courses offered by the National Association of Home Builders, The Society of Real Estate Appraisers and The American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers. He holds a real estate brokers license in the State of Georgia and an honorable discharge from the United States Coast Guard.

Mr. Arnold has been a diversified businessman for 43 years and brought both the Century 21 and Coldwell Banker real estate companies to Thomaston. He has been a successful contractor for most of his business career and, as owner of The Arnold Company, is proud to have built some of the finest homes in Upson County. Mr. Arnold was a start-up partner of Myriad Construction and Development Co., Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia and served as Vice President and Treasurer of that corporation. Other business interests were ownership of the Thomaston Brazier-Dairy Queen and Red Arrow Car Wash.

Mayor Arnold’s family has a tradition of serving the people of Thomaston and Upson County. Mayor Arnold had a great-great grandfather and two great grandfathers who served as Mayors of Thomaston and a grandfather and father who served on the City Council. Mayor Arnold’s father was one of Thomaston’s first city engineers and also served as Chair of the Upson County Commission for almost 20 years.

Mayor Arnold is an active member of The Georgia Municipal Association and currently serves as President of District 4, comprised of 10 Georgia Counties. The Mayor is also a member of the GMA Board of Directors and serves with 35 other Mayors and elected officials on the Legislative Policies Council. Mayor Arnold also serves as a director on several boards, including The Board of Health, McIntosh Trail RDC, Workforce Development, Thomaston-Upson Office Building Authority, Flint College Foundation and the Thomaston-Upson Industrial Development Authority. The Mayor is a Mason and Shriner and is a member of the Thomaston Kiwanis Club and the Thomaston-Upson Chamber of Commerce.

Mayor Arnold is married to Anna Cowart Arnold. They have 4 children and 9 grandchildren.

Council member (District 1) Gary L. Atwater

Mr. Gary L. Atwater represents District 1 and has been a councilman for 7 years. Mr. Atwater is a graduate of R.E Lee Institute. Mr. Atwater then attended Fort Valley State and earned a degree in business management. He also attended the Memphis School of Preaching and received a degree in bible and preaching. He is also currently working on his masters in ministry at the American School of Biblical Theology.

Mr. Atwater is employed by the Thomaston parole office, where he supervises Meriwether County. He has been a preacher for 25 years, and currently preaches at the College Street Church of Christ.

Mr. Atwater is married to Diana Wooden Atwater, and also has two sons, Termain and Christopher. Termain is married and is a 2nd Lt. in the Air Force. Christopher is currently a senior in college.

Council member (District 2) Patsy Perdue

Patsy Perdue is serving her first term on the City Council and is representing District 2. Although this is her first official position in politics, she feels that her broad range of experience working for the Thomaston-Upson Board of Education for the past 29 years fully qualifies her to participate in the political process required of a Thomaston City Council person. Patsy feels that running unopposed was a vote of confidence in her ability to represent the people of District 2 and the City of Thomaston.

Born and raised in Thomaston, Patsy says that representing the families of her community is an honor. She is married to Steve Perdue and they have 3 grown children (Sheri, Cindi and Michael), and 6 grandchildren (Will, Eryn, Amelia, Clarissa, Landon and Mason).

Patsy Perdue holds an MEd. From West Georgia State University and is currently employed by the Thomaston-Upson Board of Education as Student Services Director, Pre-K Director and Fine Arts Coordinator. Active in numerous service and civic organizations, she serves as Chair Person for FYCA (a local Family Connection Collaborative), member of Flint River Technical College Early Childhood Care and Education Advisory Board, member of Child Abuse Council and Child Fatality Review Committee and member of the Child Advisory Council. She is also Chair person for the Truancy Reduction Protocol Committee.

Council member (District 3) Ed Bell

Mr. Ed Bell represents District 3 and is serving his third term on the Thomaston City Council. Mr. Bell is retired from State Farm Insurance as an Agency Director in December 1995. He began his career with State Farm as an agent in Thomaston on August 1958. Mr. Bell is a graduate of Georgia State University.

Mr. Bell served 7 years on the Thomaston City School Board, past President of the Lions Club, Thomaston-Upson Arts Council and a deacon in the First Baptist Church. He is married to Patricia Bell and they have two daughters, one son, and six grandchildren.

Council member (District 4) Wallace Rhodes

Mr. Rhodes began his third term on the Thomaston City Council representing the 4th district on January 1, 2006. His only campaign commitment was to represent the people honestly and conservatively. This is still his pledge to the citizens of Thomaston.

Mr. Wallace Rhodes grew up in Cuthbert, Georgia. He graduated from Auburn University, then returned and taught at Cuthbert High School for six years.

In 1964, Mr. Rhodes family moved to Thomaston. He has since held positions as teacher, coach, assistant principal, and principal at R.E. Lee Institute. The last ten years of his career, were serving as superintendent of Thomaston City Schools, and he retired from this position in 1990.

Mayor Pro Tem. Doug Head

Mr. Doug Head was elected in 2003 for his first term on the Thomaston City Council. Mr. Head graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in business. He also has a degree from the Georgia Banking School, a three year program from the Georgia Bankers Association, and is a graduate of the Community Bankers Association Graduate School of Banking.

Mr. Head is currently employed by Bank of Upson and has been in banking for over 23 years. He is a member of the United Way Board, a past president of the Kiwanis Club, and a member of First Baptist Church.

Mr. Head has two daughters, Sarah Ann, and Mary Kathryn.

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