Councilwoman Jones will continue to think about running for mayor

Councilwoman Kaye Jones had the 20-30 people in the world of Clarksville city politics abuzz two weeks ago after she hinted at announcing a citywide campaign.

There’s only two offices in Clarksville’s government elected by voters from across the city: the city judge and the city mayor.  City judges must be trained in law, which to my knowledge Jones is not, so the obvious implication was that the one-term council member was going to challenge Mayor Kim McMillan in November 2014

But, according to a press release sent this morning, Jones is not going to throw her hat into the mayoral ring… yet.  Jones is going to “leave that possibility open,” while running a citywide “We the People Clarksville, Tennessee Campaign.”  Jones said the campaign will seek to find citizens in Clarksville willing to get involved in city government.

“Not only do I want to identify the citizens in our city that are willing to serve, I also want to hear the needs, opinions and suggestions from the Citizens of Clarksville,” Jones said in the release.  “I want to form some committees to organize our citizens to help empower the people again.”

Jones makes it clear in the release that she’s unhappy with how the city government is running, writing that she consistently hears that the mayor and other council members “will not seek and or listen to their opinions, suggestions and concerns on matters that come before our city government.”  But details on the campaign, if she’ll accept donations (she’ll have to form a PAC or candidate committee to legally do that), if she’s organizing to support another mayoral candidate, or if she’s just setting up a future run for mayor, are on short supply in the 1,100-word release.

Jones does make it clear that she’s “not asking you to vote right now,” which probably makes sense since other than the Leaf Chronicle’s daily polls   there’s no poll booths open this August.

UPDATE 10:15 a.m.

I just got off the phone with Jones and she said that she will not be forming a PAC or accepting donations, but will “at some point in time I will set up an account.”

Jones said that account will be to either run for mayor or to run for her Ward 11 seat.

Jones said she is still contemplating a mayoral run.

“I’m still praying about it. I’m just so frustrated, and people I hear from are frustrated, we just seem to be in a stalemate in this city.,” Jones said.

The councilwoman said her campaign would keep her busy in the interim.

“I know that there are plenty of people out there that are posturing for mayor… but it’s more about just going out and listening to people,” Jones said.

Here’s Jones’ full press release: Jones0814