Ray Mosley, Democratic incumbent in Seat 1-A on the Bulloch County Board of Commissioners, offers voters his experience after more than 20 years of service on county boards and identifies seven priorities, ranging from fiscal responsibility to healthcare and social services.

Mosley, 67, retired at the end of August as manufacturing manager at Brodie International, having worked in manufacturing for more than 40 years. A lifelong Bulloch resident, his home is on Banks Creek Church Road in the Portal area, where his family roots extend back more than 150 years.

He had been appointed twice to fulfill two separate unexpired terms on the Board of Commissioners before first elected to a full term in 2012, and has continued in office. Outside of his more than 15 cumulative years as commissioner, he served about five years on the county’s appointed Planning and Zoning Commission.

Now Mosley faces a challenge for commission Seat 1-A from Republican candidate R. Ryan Brannen in the Nov. 5 general election. In-person early voting began Tuesday. In recent interviews, both candidates were asked to talk about top issues they see the commissioners facing now and in the new term.

“I think the most important thing is to help the county grow responsibly and to control that growth in a responsible manner,” Mosley said. “That’s one of my priorities that I’ve listed as I get out and talk to people. … There are seven priorities I’ve listed that are close to my heart.”

Those seven priorities, in the order in which he named them, are 1. fiscal responsibility, 2. public safety, 3. infrastructure development and maintenance, 4. education and workforce development, 5. land use and zoning, 6. economic development and 7. healthcare and social services.

Defends tax increase

He describes the 2023 property tax increase as a matter of fiscal responsibility. After raising the tax rate from 11.35 mills to 12.85 mills last year, the commissioners rolled it back to 11.35 mills in August. But the county received a one-year revenue surge and retained much of 2023’s gain from inflation.

“You know, we’ve heard a lot about the taxes and all that, but when we raised taxes I felt like it was very much necessary because we’re experiencing a lot of growth, and then the public safety, which has been very important and dear to me,” Mosley said, “and the third thing was infrastructure development and maintenance.”

In regard to education and workforce development, he said, “I’ve been a passionate advocate, during my career, for exposing young people to jobs in the manufacturing arena, and I will continue to do that even after retirement.”

Mosley believes the Statesboro area now has “a good, core group of companies that have come to Statesboro that will help us in economic development.” But he thinks “as we move forward we may see a different type of economic development where we may have more I.T. jobs available.”

Information technology centers, such as some serving “Facebook or the banking industry,” could eventually come to Bulloch, he suggests.

“That’s a stretch, but I just think that in the future we will be looking at developing things in the county beyond manufacturing, and moving into more technological areas,” Mosley said.

Under the topic “healthcare and social services,” he mentioned the Mental Health/Drug Court, an “accountability court” program of the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit.

“The judges, Judge (Michael T.) Muldrew especially, has done a great job with the Drug Court, but we have growing problem in Bulloch County as the county grows. Those people who have some mental challenges that need to be dealt with, a lot of times they end up in jail, and I think in the long term that’s a conversation we  have  to have in the community, because  jail is  not  the answer,” Mosley said.

Experience & community

Why does he think he is more qualified to address those issues?

“Well, I think I have the experience,” Mosley said. “I’ve served a long time, not just as commissioner but just being involved in my community. I love my community.”

Like his challenger, the incumbent is a graduate of Portal High School. Mosley also attended Georgia Southern briefly. But his interests changed. He found work in manufacturing, and later resumed his studies, attaining an associate degree in machine technology (or “tool and die”) from Swainsboro Tech (later consolidated into Southeastern Tech) and a diploma in industrial maintenance from Ogeechee Tech.

In November, he and Odean Smart Mosley will mark their 41st wedding anniversary. They have one daughter and two sons, one of whom was his late sister’s son they raised as their own, and four grandchildren.

Mosley chairs the deacons ministry at Banks Creek Primitive Baptist Church. For about 20 years he volunteered as the American Red Cross minority blood donor recruiter in Bulloch County. He serves on the Willow Hill Heritage & Renaissance Center’s advisory board and likes to tell “the Willow Hill story,” which begins with some of his ancestors.

“When they came out of slavery, they realized the importance of education, and they helped get the Willow Hill School started,” he said.

His great-great-grandfather Aaron Munlin, “when he came out of slavery … desired to make this a better community,” and established Banks Creek Primitive Baptist Church, in addition to becoming a farmer and landowner, Mosley said.

“I look back on people who’ve put in a lot more sacrifice than I’ve put in, and it’s my responsibility to leave this community better than what I’ve had, and I know that’s a tall challenge,” he said.