Photo of Bill Bolling from the Atlanta Community Food Bank
At the regular meeting on Tuesday, September 8 the Decatur City Commission appointed Bill Bolling to finish out the remaining four months of former Mayor Pro Tempore Kecia Cunningham’s term, who resigned to take a job out of state. Commissioner Bolling is not one of the two candidates running for the District 2 seat (the election is November 3) and has stated he has no further political ambitions.
“We are fortunate to have Bill Bolling, a pillar of our community and long-time Decatur resident, agree to serve alongside us for the next few months on the Decatur City Commission,” said Mayor Jim Baskett. “Commissioner Bolling has had a long career in community service and I am confident he will do a great job as a City Commissioner through the end of the year.”
Commissioner Bolling founded the Atlanta Community Food Bank in 1979 and was its executive director until earlier this year, when he shifted into a senior advisor role. Prior to his association with the Food Bank, he served as director of community ministries for St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Atlanta. He continues to support other food initiatives in metro Atlanta and elsewhere, including the Food Well Alliance.
Born and raised in Lexington, North Carolina, Commissioner Bolling holds degrees from Central Piedmont College and Appalachian State University in Business and Education. He received his Master of Arts degree in Psychology and Counseling from the University of West Georgia in 1976. In July of 2003, he attended Harvard Business School, completing a course on Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management. He has served as an adjunct professor in the School of Management at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and has taught classes at Georgia State, Emory and Oglethorpe Universities. Commissioner Bolling is a frequent speaker on topics related to hunger, poverty, regionalism, affordable housing and public policy reform.
Five City Commissioners are elected in nonpartisan elections for overlapping four-year terms – two from District 1, two from District 2, and one At-Large. Each January, Commissioners elect two of their fellow members to serve as Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem.
how wonderful!