Rincon councilman Kevin Exley assumes mayoral duties after Ken Lee's resignation
When Rincon City Councilman Kevin Exley announced his bid to run for mayor last year, he did not imagine he would have the duties of the office so soon.
Exley, who is Mayor Pro Tem, resumed mayoral tasks after former Mayor Ken Lee announced his resignation last month after 18 years at the helm. His spot on city council will remain open and he will be allowed to vote since they are without one councilmember.
The abrupt move surprised staff members who thought Lee would finish his term. Lee cited family as his reason for stepping away, saying they need his “complete and undivided attention” in a letter he submitted to the city.
“It happened fast,” said Exley. “He turned his stuff in and walked out. I do feel like the pace we were moving at was much faster than prior. My biggest thing is I didn’t want any of the citizens to think that we had any drop in our ability to lead the city. I thought about the things we needed to do. We had a plan the whole time.”
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Exley agreed the move will bolster his campaign when he runs for the position in 2025.
“I feel like I can complete the things that we started off talking about and then people will see that not only can I lead the city through meetings but we can do the things that we were not getting done,” said Exley.
A “State of the City” event is slated for April. Exley said the event is a way to provide more transparency, saying city leaders should be accessible to the public.
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“I am also putting together a community engagement program to go to different neighborhoods to talk to people about what is going in their area,” said Exley. “I think we stay locked up too much where the city can’t see us. I want to be visible.”
Exley is originally from Clyo and lived in Springfield before settling into Rincon. His connection to the town stems from family and the folks he grew up with ― all of whom played a vital role in his quest for the top job, he said.
“I dreamed my whole life for this,” said Exley. “A lot of people I went to high school with live in Rincon. When I chose to live in Rincon, my mother-in-law's business was in Rincon. I saw so many things we could change and that is where I developed the passion.”
Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at lwilliams6@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Kevin Exley takes over mayoral duties for Rincon
