Editor's note: This is the third in a series profiling the four candidates for the Statesboro mayor's office.

Deep roots and strong community ties bind Jan Moore to the city of Statesboro, which has been shaped by family come before her.

Now, she hopes it is her turn.

The Statesboro native and longtime community fixture is seeking election to the mayor's office. She will be part of a four-candidate race to be settled in a city election, Tuesday, Nov. 5. Early voting began Monday.

"As a fourth-generation resident of Statesboro, my family has a history of public service in our community. My father is the late Judge J. Lane Johnston, and I am a descendant of Greene Johnston, a former mayor of Statesboro," Moore said. "I want to continue that tradition of service, and feel the position of mayor aligns with the vision I have for Statesboro and what can be accomplished with cooperation between all of the stakeholders in our community."

Moore, 51, has called Statesboro home for 36 years and is seeking public office for a first time.

A graduate of the University of Georgia and Georgia Southern University, she currently works as business editor for the Statesboro Herald and behavior intervention specialist/psychologist for the Bulloch County Board of Education.

Moore also serves on the board of directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Bulloch County and the board of trustees for Statesboro First United Methodist Church; she is also a former board member of the Bulloch County Foundation for Public School Education.

She believes lessons learned from her current and past roles make her the best option for Statesboro voters.

"My experience as a former state employee, corporate executive, newspaper editor, school board employee and member of many nonprofit boards and church boards gives me unique insight and the necessary skills to serve successfully as mayor," Moore said. "I would bring vision and leadership to the office and strive to be a very recognizable, accessible, energetic and fresh face as mayor."

Moore, who was the recipient of Downtown Statesboro Development Authority's 2012 Best Downtown Supporter award, identifies job creation and downtown revitalization as key issues faced by the city. Solving one issue, she believes, could spur improvement regarding the other.

"With a 12.1 percent unemployment rate in the city of Statesboro -- the second highest of the 32 cities monitored by the Georgia Department of Labor -- we should focus on what needs to be done to significantly augment the creation of solid, good-paying jobs for our citizens, both in the city and the county. A comprehensive revitalization of downtown is a key component of that. It may very well be the missing piece," Moore said. "Downtown Statesboro should be as beautiful as the campus of Georgia Southern University. Its main corridor -- South Main Street -- should mirror the entrance to Sweetheart Circle. It is of benefit to everyone to have a beautiful county seat. It attracts business, industry and good, solid desirable growth.

"We can't expect the city to do it on its own," she continued. "It is going to take a collaborative effort from the city, the county, Georgia Southern, Ogeechee Tech, the Development Authority of Bulloch County, the Downtown Statesboro Development Authority, Statesboro-Bulloch County Chamber of Commerce, Statesboro Convention and Visitors Bureau, local business leaders and our state-level elected officials to bring about this substantial change. But it can be done."

Moore is a wife and mother to two daughters. She counts running, lifting weights, spending time outdoors and reading biographies among her hobbies, and calls her family the greatest accomplishment of her life.

Moore believes the city of Statesboro "has dedicated, qualified employees that are doing a very good job on a very tight budget," but could be led more productively.

"As far as government is concerned, I would like to usher in a new era of cooperation similar to 1993, when city-county cooperation led to unprecedented and unparalleled economic development resulting in thousands of new jobs for local residents," she said. "As it regards the potential elimination or reduction in city property taxes, the city doesn't collect enough taxes/fees to support the general fund, which means the city has to rely on multimillion-dollar transfers from (various departments) to balance its budget. If you want to reduce or eliminate property taxes in the city, which are estimated to be $3,600,000 this year, then you are going to have to enact a significant increase in water, sewer and sanitation fees to our residents to make up the difference. The money has to come from somewhere. I would also strive to strengthen the financial ‘condition' of the city. The city's general fund has reserves of just over $500,000 when it should have more than $3,000,000 based on its operating budget. You need appropriate reserves to deal with a disaster or something unexpected that could happen such as a shortfall in anticipated revenue."

Additionally, Moore said, she would like to see a collaborative effort to address crime in an around the campus of Georgia Southern University, and throughout the community.

In looking ahead, she feels Statesboro can have a "prosperous, safe, comfortable and beautiful" future.
"I think Statesboro is one of the most caring, compassionate, hard-working communities in this country, and I love Statesboro, Georgia," Moore said. "I cannot think of anywhere I would rather live."

Jeff Harrison may be reached at (912) 489-9454.