D Thompson For Mayor

10/31/2025

10/23/2025

VOTE and VOTE early

It's YOUR Right.
It's YOUR Voice.
It's YOUR Future.

Every election puts the power where it belongs - in the hands of the people.

Four Reasons Why YOUR Vote Matters

Caring for Today and Tomorrow
Voting isn't just about expressing your opinion - it's about shaping the
policies and leadership that will impact your future and the generations to come.

Restoring Common Sense and Sound Leadership
Let's bring back professionalism, accountability, and solid business practices to Monticello City Hall.

Building Strong Partnerships
We need real cooperation between the City Council, County, State, local
businesses, and every citizen of Monticello.

Creating a Strategic Plan for Monticello's Future
Together, we can shape a community where every citizen has a voice, families can thrive, and businesses are proud to call Monticello home.

Don’t stop thinking about TOMORROW
No Excuses - Vote!

Vote David Thompson for Mayor of Monticello.

10/16/2025

My Vision for Monticello

My vision for Monticello is to become the best small town in Georgia —
a town where all citizens can live, work, and play in a safe, clean, family- friendly community.
A town where families with children, seniors on fixed incomes, and
everyone in between have a voice.

How We’ll Get There

Some have asked how I will accomplish these goals. It will not be an easy job — and I would be misleading if I said it was. I’m prepared for hard work and long hours planning, researching, and collaborating. This will be a process I am deeply involved in every step of the way.

My first action will be to reach out to all members of City Council, department heads, and staff.
It is critical that we have open, honest, and constructive dialogue to
assess the current state of our city.

Equally important will be establishing effective and productive
communication with key partners:
the Jasper County Board of Commissioners and County Manager, the School Board and administrative staff, the Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia
Department of Transportation, the Jasper County Development
Authority, our State Senator and Representative, and many other
organizations that can help us achieve our goals.

Why Collaboration Matters

You may be asking: Why do these groups and individuals need to be
involved?
The answer is simple — the City of Monticello is part of a larger system
and cannot operate in isolation.

A healthy, cooperative working relationship is essential to our success.
Otherwise, we’ll just keep kicking the can down the road, hoping someone will come to our rescue — and they won’t. It’s up to us.

A Voice for Every Citizen

I will immediately take steps to give all citizens a forum to share ideas on how the city can better serve our diverse community.

From there, we — City Council, staff, and citizen representatives — will develop a living strategic plan to guide future decisions, processes, and development.
As promised, transparency and accountability will be top priorities in my administration.

Join the Movement

Vote for LEADERSHIP.
Vote for CHANGE.
Vote for David Thompson for Mayor – November 4th!

Join the movement for a better Monticello. Don’t stop thinking about tomorrow.

10/09/2025

My Vision for Monticello

My vision for Monticello is to become the best small town in Georgia-a place where citizens can live, work and play in a safe, clean, family-friendly community. This isn’t just MY vision. It’s the vision shared by many residents and businesses I’ve listened to throughout Monticello. These are all basic wants and needs we all have in common.

A town where families, seniors on fixed incomes and everyone in between have a voice. Where community, family and children’s events are supported and accessible to all. A town where neighborhoods are clean, streets are well maintained and residents and businesses can depend on reliable utilities that support growth and opportunity.

I am the best candidate for mayor because I will listen-and I will get results.

With 48 years of management experience, I have demonstrated the dedication needed to solve large and complex business challenges. I know how to navigate legal issues, build strong partnerships and earn the trust that sustains progress. I will bring accountability, transparency and teamwork back to City Hall.

Will it be easy? NO. But I’m not afraid of hard work Together we can make this vision a reality.

• Vote for LEADERSHIP
• Vote for CHANGE
• Vote for David Thompson for Mayor-November 4th!

09/30/2025

Monticello’s Audits: Still Missing. Still Silent.

Other cities are closing out their 2024–25 books.
Monticello? We’re still catching up on 2022.

That audit was finished months ago — and city hall said nothing.
No report.
No explanation.
No accountability.

City website?
Nothing.

Why the secrecy?
Did the books balance?
Were there mistakes?
Were laws broken?
We don’t know — because they won’t tell us.

And now we’re paying the price.
Monticello taxpayers have shelled out $83,000 for the 2022–23 audit — and it’s still not done.
Why?
Are the city’s records so disorganized the auditors can’t finish?

Here’s the truth:
Late audits mean lost grants.
Lost grants mean fewer road projects, fewer infrastructure upgrades — and more of your tax dollars wasted.

This is not fiscal responsibility.
This is fiscal chaos.

It is time to bring sound business practices to the city of Monticello.

It is time for leadership that respects taxpayers.

Elect David Thompson for Mayor.
Transparency. Integrity. Accountability. Results.

Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow!

09/22/2025

Monticello you deserve better

For weeks, I’ve warned about the city’s lack of transparency, professionalism and plain common sense.
And on September 18, 2025, City Council proved me right.
The budget was rammed through.
No notice or content in the paper.
No clear documents.
No presentations.
No explanation.
Citizens were handed a messy, cryptic packet – minutes before the vote. Then straight into a public hearing where the mayor had to be reminded what the public hearing was for. No one spoke in favor. Several spoke against.

Questions about the budget? Brushed off.
Why use the city’s fund balance was being used? Answer: “we’ve done this before.”
That’s not accountability. That’s ignorance.

The real bombshell?
The budget included $4 million in “miscellaneous revenue” being used to balance the 2025 budget.
“The truth came out – it’s from the sale of Mine Lake. But that sale hasn’t closed. The last deal fell through. There is no guarantee that this one won’t collapse too.

This is wrong on so many levels. Yet our leaders are spending money they don’t have. If this deal fails, taxpayer will be left covering a $545,718 hole. And the city’s fund balance for between 25/26 will drop by over $1.1 million.

This is not budgeting. This is gambling with your money.

The mayor – whose job is to protect Monticello’s financial health – said nothing. Silence is not leadership.

Look at the numbers:
- The electric fund - historically a moneymaker – now shows revenue and expense as exactly equal. Where did the profits go?
- The water fund – historically in the red – magically balances out. How?

Monticello citizens deserve answers, not accounting tricks.

This is not transparency. This is not accountability. And it will not change until we demand better.

As your next mayor, I will bring sunlight into City Hall.
✓ Transparent budgets – with full explanations.
✓ Public meeting that invite questions and answers.
✓ Honest accounting of every dollar.

Monticello deserves leaders who respect taxpayers.

Monticello deserves a mayor who will fight for accountability.

Monticello deserves better.

Vote for David Thompson for Mayor.

09/19/2025

Met with Dale Washburn, our state representative.

09/19/2025

Took the day off from campaigning to be with our loving grandchildren.

09/14/2025

Government in Your Pocket
Failed Leadership

Monticello is broke - and it’s getting worse.

On September 9, 2025, the citizens of Monticello gathered to review the proposed 2025/2026 city budget. After more than a dozen meetings, the 2025-26 city budget is still not balanced. The mayor pulled the budget from the September 9 agenda without any explanation. Three months into the fiscal year, we still don’t have a budget. That’s not transparency - that’s failure.

Here’s the ugly math:

* The city plans to spend $500,000 more than it takes in - again.
* To cover the gap, it will raid reserve funds - again.
* In just three years, $1.5 million will be drained from savings.

That’s like taking $1,000 from every household in Monticello.
Meanwhile, our infrastructure is crumbling. Roads, water, and sewer systems are falling apart. It could cost $20–40 million to fix. None of that money is in the budget.

And businesses? Some can’t even get enough water pressure to expand. That means lost jobs, lost tax revenue, and higher costs for everyone.

Here’s the truth:

* The city spends more than it earns.
* There’s no plan to fix infrastructure.
* There’s no plan to rebuild reserves.
* The citizens of Monticello will be required to make up for past mismanagement and any future improvements or developments.
* There’s no budget — just excuses. No one will escape higher taxes and utility rates. No budget. No plan. Clearly, no effective leadership.

But it gets worse!!!!

In the city council meeting on September 9, several new items were brought forward on the agenda that require funding. These are not bad projects. However, as presented these were half-baked project “ideas” with no specific details, no public input, and the full cost was unknown. No one on the council questioned or asked where the money to fund the projects would come from. The mayor should have pushed for a discussion on how to finance these projects or paused the process to allow for citizen input. Technically, there is no money for new projects until the budget is approved. Sound financial management demands these questions be asked and answered before moving forward.

Monticello deserves better.

Show up at the September 18 at 5:30 pm for the next council meeting. Demand a balanced budget. Demand a plan. Demand common sense. Demand the city runs like a successful business. It’s your money — make them accountable.

09/07/2025

Monticello’s Broken Budget
Residents Left Holding the Bag

Why does the city budget matter to you? Because it determines where your money will be spent.

Most of Monticello’s revenue comes from taxes and profit from electricity sales. Other sources contribute only a small percentage. The math is simple: when the city spends more than it receives, taxes and utility rates increases. That means less money in your pocket for the things you need and want. Those who can least afford it are the hardest hit. There is no sugarcoating this reality.

After more than a dozen meetings, the city proposed budget still isn’t balanced. To make it work, officials would need to pull more than $500,000 from reserve funds that were built up over time for emergencies or unforeseen expenses. In other words, Monticello is spending more than it earns. Unfortunately, dipping into reserves has become the norm rather than the exception.

Why should you care? Because eventually, the city will ask you to make up the difference. There is no such thing as free money.

Let’s looker deeper. Residents, businesses, schools, the hospital, and even the sheriff’s office all know Monticello’s infrastructure is aging and fragile. It’s nobody’s fault; it’s simply a fact. People regularly complain about roads, sidewalks, traffic, litter, housing shortages, and limited job opportunities. But infrastructure maintenance and long-range planning are necessities - and they are expensive.

The water and sewage system is outdated, brittle, and failing. Estimates to repair and replace it run between $20 million and $40 million. Is that in the budget? Nope, Napa, Zilch. Not a word. What about other long-requested community improvements? Also, no. If it’s not budgeted, it will not happen. City Hall is telling all of us to stop complaining. Is this why we have the same old problems and concerns for years?

The problem goes beyond inconvenience. Monticello cannot provide adequate water pressure and volume for some industrial customers. This has raised insurance premiums and stalled business expansions. Left unresolved , it risks driving businesses out of the community entirely. If that happens, it will affect everyone.

Here are the dots; the city spends more than it takes in, drains reserves to fill gaps, and sets aside nothing for critical infrastructure, quality-of-life improvements, or replenishing savings. When the inevitable happens-whether water system failures, sewage collapses or impassable roads-blame and excuses won’t fix the problem. Without funds, repairs will be delayed. And ultimately, the burden will fall on Monticello residents and utility customers. No one will be spared.

So why should you care about the Monticello city budget? Because it’s your money. Not City Hall’s. You deserve a voice, and it shouldn’t be a mystery where the money comes from, how it’s allocated, or how it’s spent.