Final MAYOR Interview

Final MAYOR Interview

41nbc news at 6:00.

I'm shelby coates.

Tucker sargent has the evening off.

Our top story tonight at 6... in a matter of days -- and after 13 years in office --- macon-bibb county mayor robert reichert will finish his final term.

A graduate of stratford academy and mercer law school... he's macon raised and reared.

But when 2020 ends... he will hand things over to incoming mayor lester miller.

I spoke with mayor reichert... as he looks back on his service to this community.

"i hate to leave things undone but i guess that's life."

His to-do list is still pretty long... but his time in office is growing short.

"you never get everything done, buttoned up just the way you want it."

Mayor robert reichert has spent decades serving the people of macon-bibb.

The democrat is a military veteran and attorney.

He served as a state representative and a macon city council member before ... becoming mayor in 2007.

He has the honor... of being the city of macon's last mayor before consolidation.

And voters selected him to be macon-bibb's first mayor after consolidation.

"it's less expensive.

It is more efficient.

It is more effective."

Reichert says consolidating two governments into one ... is his biggest acheivements as mayor.

Voters approved the consolidation in 2012.

Reichert says it took about 16 months to finalize the merger of employees, services and codes.

The new consolidated government started in 2014 -- with reichert running lead.

He was later re-elected for his most recent and final term in 2016.

"yes are still not perfectly consolidated and functioning.

Over the last six years we have done so much to establish undeniably that consolidation is good for macon and bibb county."

The mayor says his second success... is the second street corridor through downtown macon.

The bike, pedestrian and retail friendly corridor connects the east side to the west side.

"i think it is really going to expand everybody's concept of what consitutes downtown."

Reichert says it is an added boost to a booming dowtown...tha t he was able to watch blossom ... as mayor for 13 years.

"the number of stores and loft apartments that have been built in the downtown area -- absolutely phenominal."

However, the mayor is leaving office accepting the fact that other areas of macon-bibb are not seeing the same growth.

'they are going to go where they think they have the best chance of success.

And if that happens to be out at the new mall.

You don't tell them no no no, you can't come out there.

You have to go -- they are not going into south bibb county."

Reichert says you don't fight with capitolism.

Instead there are now tax incentives in place for companies that rehab abandoned and delipidated commercial sites.

And plans are approved to extend the runway at middle georgia regional airport in south macon- bibb to accomendate large planes.

"the wagon is moving and it is moving in the right direction."

But mayor robert reichert is leaving office at a tough time.

Macon-bibb is fighting both covid and crime.

"this inability of some people to be able to resolve interpersonal conflicts other than just with a firearm, a pistol.

Just pull it out and boom boom boom."

Macon-bibb set a new record for the most homicides in one year.

Reichert says he is proud of the partnership between the county and the sheriff's office.

But community support is needed too.

"it is awfully hard for the sheriff's office to try to prevent some of this interpersonal violence that happens within a home."

Macon-bibb is also handling the coronavirus pandemic -- a health emergengy and reichert's second extreme economic experience.

"i had two book ends to my time c1 3 b13 as mayor."

Within his first two years as mayor... reichert had to revive macon after the 2008 i asked the mayor what projects or goals ... remain unfinished for him.

He listed two.

He said he wanted ... to do more to address homelessness in macon ... along with underlying factors of mental health and addiction.

He also said... he wanted