Alderman Bobby Simmons announced Monday, June 13, that he is dropping out of the race for Bartlett mayor.
Simmons said he spoke to his daughters recently, including a daughter who lives in Brentwood, Tennessee, and they urged him not to continue seeking the office because of the stress the job will entail.
“I really hated to back out,” said Simmons, but he didn’t want to continue without of the support of his children.
Simmons will remain alderman of Position 4 on the Bartlett Board of Mayor and Aldermen through 2024. The retired captain in the Shelby County Sheriff”s Department has been an alderman for 18 years.
Simmons believes the three most significant issues for elected leaders in Bartlett are managing growing volumes of sewage, stormwater, and waste runoff; keeping all parts of the city and city school system attractive and compelling for current and future residents; and keeping property taxes as low as possible while keeping city employees’ salaries commensurate with the cost of living.
The announcement leaves Bartlett Police Officer Brent Hammonds and two other aldermen, David Parsons and Kevin Quinn, as current candidates for mayor.
Candidates for mayor and the three open aldermen Positions 1, 2 and 3 can begin picking up petitions for the offices on Monday, June 20.
Candidates must get the signatures of at least 25 registered voters to qualify to get on the Nov. 8 ballot. Candidates have until Aug. 18 to qualify.
