Gray: I Want To Be Your Mayor

WATER VALLEY – Donald Gray will be sworn in as mayor of Water Valley Thursday afternoon in city hall at 3:45 after winning the Jan. 9 runoff in the special election. He received 64 percent of the 862 votes cast in the runoff against Terry Rockette with 552 votes. Rockette received 339 votes and there was one write-in vote. 

Gray ran on a platform of building unity in the community and continues to stress this will be his priority as the city’s top elected official. 

“I want to be your mayor,” Gray told the Herald after the election, explaining that his desire is to serve all of the citizens of Water Valley. 

“I want to be everybody’s mayor and I want to hear from everybody,” Gray added. “I don’t want to be isolated and not know what is going on.” 

During the campaign he stressed the importance of citizens immediately reaching out to the mayor or aldermen if they have problems or concerns.

“Come talk to us,” he urged. 

Gray also said the recent work to start cleaning up junky and dilapidated property will remain a priority.

“We have a lot of property that needs to be cleaned up. It is hurting our property values and is a black eye for the community,” Gray said.  

He also said some upgrades are needed, pointing to the electric department as one priority.

“We are already working on the sewage,” Gray continued, citing to work that started this month to upgrade a portion of the main sewage trunk line, a $600,000 project that will be funded with grant money.

He also praised the department heads and city workers.

“They all do a great job.”

As for his campaign, Gray said it was important to reach out to all of the segments in the community, a successful strategy as he handily carried three of the four precincts– 172 votes to Rockette’s 85 in Ward 1, 130 votes to 60 in Ward 3 and 178 votes to Rockette’s 77 votes in Ward 4. Rockette carried Ward 2 with 87 votes, 15 more than Gray. 

“I just want to say thank you,” he said about the support. “I want to give God the glory, I think it all comes back to Him and His will. So many people have prayed for me, prayed with me and supported me. I just can’t thank the people enough for that.”

Gray also expressed gratitude to the three other candidates who were on the ballot – Herbie Rogers, Mickey Howley and Rockette.

“Everybody ran a good campaign and I appreciate them all,” Gray said. “When you put your name out there, you are going to take criticism,” he said about running for public office. “They were willing to put their name out there.”

“My goal is to continue to lead the city in a good, positive direction. When we mention our town, we need to mention it in a positive way.”