VALDOSTA — For the 15 years Andy Gibbs has been living on Oak Street, he has watched his neighborhood and the City of Valdosta develop in what he sees as the right direction.

Gibbs has seen city parks improve alongside businesses, and he wants that to continue. That is why he is running for Valdosta City Council District 6 to preserve neighborhoods and grow businesses, as his slogan says. 

Councilman Robert Yost is leaving the District 6 seat this year after holding the position since 2001. Gibbs said he wants to continue all the good work Yost has accomplished in his tenure as councilman.

“I want to make sure this development continues. I don’t want to go backwards. I want to go forwards,” Gibbs said. “But I want to make sure neighborhoods stay neighborhoods.”

He said growth is a good thing, but it needs to be in the right place. When that growth starts moving into where families live, he said, it starts creating problems.

“There should be a clear separation,” Gibbs said. “No one wants a factory or something moving next door to their home.”

Gibbs graduated from Valdosta State University with his business degree in 2001. After eight years in management in the private business sector, he left the business industry to pursue his dream of becoming a public school teacher. He now teaches math at Valdosta Middle School.

Teaching gives Gibbs more fulfillment than business did, he said. He was good in business, meeting with CEOs, building objective plans and fighting for bids, but he said he didn’t feel like he was making an impact.

In government, as in school, Gibbs said he feels he can make an impact. He believes he can do this by looking at the city’s books and working closely with other city officials.

“I want them to know I don’t have a personal agenda,” Gibbs said. “I want to see Five Points develop. I want to see downtown develop, and that’s where I want to work with other council members.”

Thomas Lynn is a government and education reporter for The Valdosta Daily Times. He can be reached at (229)244-3400 ext. 1256