Cobb County Courier, Q&A With Ken Hymes: Smyrna Mayoral Candidate

Ken Hymes is from North Carolina. He attended Morehouse College. He is a father of one daughter and currently lives in the Smyrna area.

Ken Hymes is an information technology product manager. He works at Warner Bros., where he has been for 23 years.

Ken Hymes's campaign for mayor is his first entry into politics.

Wants to preserve the tree canopy and existing tree structures in the city.

- Wants to preserve the tree canopy and existing tree structures in the city.

Natural Resources & the Environment

Wants to increase the inventory of affordable housing within the city.

Plans to fund environmentally-friendly housing developments.

- Wants to increase the inventory of affordable housing within the city.
- Plans to fund environmentally-friendly housing developments.

Housing & Urban Development

As of August 30, 2023, Ken Hymes’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Public Safety

Plans to further fund parks, recreation, and the arts.

Wants downtown to be "a welcoming, walkable area and space that’s accessibility-friendly."

Wants to ensure "that all citizens have access to and opportunities to comment on any major financial transactions BEFORE negotiations begin."

Said he is "in favor of downtown development, as long as it’s smart development and that we’re using our resources efficiently to deploy mixed-use development and designs that bring businesses, services, restaurants, and attractions that the citizens want."

- Plans to further fund parks, recreation, and the arts.
- Wants downtown to be "a welcoming, walkable area and space that’s accessibility-friendly."
- Wants to ensure "that all citizens have access to and opportunities to comment on any major financial transactions BEFORE negotiations begin."
- Said he is "in favor of downtown development, as long as it’s smart development and that we’re using our resources efficiently to deploy mixed-use development and designs that bring businesses, services, restaurants, and attractions that the citizens want."

Public Services

Transportation & Infrastructure

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Ken Hymes

Ken Hymes is an information technology product manager He works at Warner Bros., where he has been for 23 years.

Ken Hymes's campaign for mayor of Smyrna is his first entry into politics.

As of August 30, 2023, Ken Hymes’s website did not contain information on this issue and Ken Hymes did not complete our questionnaire.

- Said he is "in favor of downtown development, as long as it’s smart development and that we’re using our resources efficiently to deploy mixed-use development and designs that bring businesses, services, restaurants, and attractions that the citizens want."
- Wants downtown to be "a welcoming, walkable area and space that’s accessibility-friendly."
- Plans to further fund parks, recreation, and the arts.
- Wants to ensure "that all citizens have access to and opportunities to comment on any major financial transactions BEFORE negotiations begin."

- The mayor leads the executive branch of local government, presiding over city council meetings, making sure city departments run smoothly, and providing services to citizens. 
- The mayor runs the city day to day and prepares the budget each year, meaning that they propose how much funding goes to each city department, including the police department, city parks, transportation, and the fire department. 
- The mayor also hires the Police Chief, Fire Chief, and city department heads, such as City Planning, Parks & Recreation, and Transportation. 
- Most Georgia mayors are elected in odd years to four year terms. Elections are nonpartisan. 