Bill Bolling, former Food Bank director, Appointed to Decatur City Commission
(APN) ATLANTA — Bill Bolling, founder of the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB) and former Executive Director for 37 years, has been appointed to the Decatur City Commission, filling the vacancy left by Kecia Cunningham (District 2), who resigned last month to take a job outside of Atlanta.
“Bill was nominated by Mayor Pro Tem Patti Garrett and appointed by a unanimous vote of the City Commission,” Jim Baskett, Mayor of the City of Decatur, told Atlanta Progressive News.
“We had stated a desire to appoint someone who has shown a willingness to serve; demonstrated good judgement in their professional, civic, and personal life; and has no desire to use this to further their political ambitions. Bill is an outstanding choice, not just for his lifetime of caring for those less fortunate, but also, because of all the ways he has demonstrated leadership and servanthood in his entire career,” Baskett said.
Bolling’s position in the District 2 spot will be short lived as voters will get the chance to elect a new representative this November 2015. The Mayoral and District 1 seat are also up for election.
Currently, Tony Powers, Planning Commission Chair; and John Ridley, former Commission Chair, are both running for the Mayor position, which is at-large.
Brian Smith and James M. Johnson are running for the District 2 seat; while Valencia Breedlove, Scott Drake, and Eric Tumperi are running for the District 1 spot.
Meanwhile, Bolling recently retired from the ACFB, in a move unrelated to his surprise appointment to the Decatur Commission. Kyle Waide was hired to fill Bolling’s shoes as head of the ACFB.
Founded in 1979, ACFB procures more than 60 million pounds of food and groceries each year and distributes it to more than 600 nonprofit partner agencies serving families and individuals in 29 metro Atlanta and north Georgia counties.
ACFB utilizes more than 1,700 volunteers a month, over 150 staff members, a large fleet of trucks, and a 129,000 square-foot facility to procure and distribute food and grocery items received from hundreds of donors. The mission of the ACFB is to fight hunger by engaging, educating, and empowering our community.
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