Athens Decides: Dexter Fisher

Originally from South Carolina, Dexter Fisher moved to Athens to attend Piedmont College. Now one of the five candidates running for mayor, Fisher is campaigning on the idea of being “A voice of reason.”

Fisher previously spent nearly 35 years in management at the University of Georgia and the Clarke County School District before holding his current seat on the Athens-Clarke County Commission (District 5). He views his time at UGA and CCSD as being foundational to his current leadership.

“We kept the small city of UGA running. We built, fixed, kept people cool in the summer and warm in the winter. We kept the grounds clean, kept the buildings clean and the grass cut. I loved working over there,” Fisher said.

Fisher joined the county commission in 2022, following his retirement from CCSD. He currently serves as the mayor pro tempore, taking over the mayor’s duties whenever the mayor is unable to be present for meetings. He believes he brings unique perspective to his role.

“I knew I had something to contribute based on my background, working in higher (education) and K-12. It was something that I always wanted to do, and it gave me an opportunity to give back to the community,” Fisher said.

Economic inequality is a major part of Fisher’s campaign. In office, he plans to raise salaries and improve benefits for city employees. He hopes that by improving compensation in the public sector, private businesses will follow suit. 

“As a government, we need to take a role. We need to make sure that our employees are well compensated and that they have a great benefits package. If we can lead the way in providing good wages, it would set an example for the rest of the community and for private industry,” Fisher said.

In addressing homelessness, he plans to target the root causes, particularly mental health and substance abuse issues. As a commissioner, he helped plan and approve a new mental health facility within his district. The facility is designed to offer a long-term path to recovery through residential treatment, an approach previously not offered within Clarke County. He plans to continue addressing these issues as mayor.

“The homelessness issue is complex, it’s difficult. First and foremost, we need to deal with the root cause of homelessness. Part of that is to deal with the mental health and substance abuse perspectives. We’re getting ready to build a mental health and substance abuse facility in district 5. Having a facility that can help people dealing with mental health crises and substance abuse is going to be a huge advantage. That’s a start,” Fisher said.

To build his policy on public transportation, Fisher says he has been riding the bus throughout his campaign and speaking with other riders. To ensure bus coverage remains fast, he plans to end the fare-free system currently in place.

“Right now we have a fare-free bus system. I don’t think that’s sustainable. My plan would be that young people and senior citizens will continue to ride free, but everybody in between will pay some type of fare. That’s why it’s important for me to take this up and ride the bus myself and just discuss and see,” Fisher said.

A central issue of the mayoral race has focused on the city’s relationship with UGA and how can better cooperate. Fisher believes his connections at the university will help him navigate that relationship and that UGA is an underutilized resource.

“People fail to realize that the University of Georgia provides $681 million to the local economy. That’s part of how they pay us back. Also, those young people over there volunteer thousands of hours. There are resources there that we could use that I don’t think we have tapped into. As the mayor, because of that relationship that I already have with UGA, we would be able to sit down and say ‘Okay, how can we help each other? What can you all bring to the table?’ And it may not be so much financially, but what expertise can you bring?” Fisher said.

One of the more controversial proposals during Fisher’s time on the commission was the real time crime center. The technology allows the police department to consolidate various data sources in one central hub. The center has faced criticism from community members and advocacy groups as a violation of privacy and for its potential to be used by federal law enforcement agencies. Fisher believes the center’s benefits outweigh the negatives, and he voted to fully fund the center as a commissioner.

“[The real time crime center] has been really positive, not only for our community, but for our public safety officers. For example we’ve had two incidents downtown where shootings were involved, and both suspects were apprehended immediately. The center gives our officers another tool to do their job, and I would invite any citizen who is skeptical to go and take a look and see what they do there,” Fisher said.

When they head to the polls this May, Fisher hopes voters will have his experience and plans in mind. He assures voters that he will be responsible in his leadership and decision making, provide equal opportunity to people from all political backgrounds and use his experience well.

“Look at the resumes. I’ve been on the commission for four years. I lead large organizations. I’ve been in this community for over 30 years. I understand the needs, the culture and government of this city. I know I’m the best qualified to do this job. I’m going to be the mayor for everybody, no matter your political affiliation. I can sit down and have a conversation with anybody. Now, we may not always agree, but we can come to common ground. My number one priority is always going to be what’s best for Athens,” Fisher said.

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