Incumbent Jeff Perry won the Post 1 seat in Gillsville by a landslide, defeating longtime Gillsville staple, former councilman and mayor Larry Poole. 

Who is he: Perry has been on the Gillsville City Council since 2017, and he works for Perry Gas Co. 

How he reacted: “I’m very happy for the people of Gillsville. They obviously have made their choice and want to see some changes, and I want to do my best to give it to them.” Of the win over Poole, who had been on the council almost 30 years, including 24 as mayor, “When it comes to politics, you don’t really know, you only have a gut feeling.”

On the issues: Perry has said he wants to improve infrastructure, parks and manage growth in the city. He wants to make downtown more accessible and revitalized, he said. 

What’s next: Perry said he wants to reach out to residents and hear from them. “We want to improve the park and get a road project done, and there’s some other councilmen who want to see some improvements for citizens downtown.”

Lifelong Gillsville resident Kody Rylee won the Post 2 seat, defeating another longtime resident, Phil Ferguson.

Who is he: Rylee’s family has farmed in Gillsville for six generations, and when Rylee isn’t tending to his farm he works as a real estate agent. 

How he reacted: “I’m excited for what the future holds for Gillsville. … I thought it would be a close race.”

On the issues: Rylee said he wants to ensure that traffic coming to Gillsville is managed well. He also wants to improve Gillsville City Park and maintain the city’s small town feel. 

What’s next: “I’m looking to get working on those parks… and manage growth.”