Collins family sets eyes on half of Cobbtown elected positions

Two people qualified last week to fill the vacant seat of former councilwoman Angela Monroe, who resigned after moving outside the city limits. The election, considered to be “special,” will take place on the same Tuesday as other municipal elections.

Betty Jo “BJ” Collins and Arthur “Doc” Harper both qualified to serve for the same city council seat.

Collins is married to Cobbtown Fire Chief Larry Collins, who is kin to brothers Mayor Buddy Collins and Councilman Danny Ray Collins. If elected, BJ Collins would be the third Collins to serve in the elected city government of six.

Cobbtown has five council members and one mayor, but has been operating with four council members since Monroe’s departure in early 2017.

Cobbtown Mayor Buddy Collins, Councilman Gerald Powell, Jr., and Coucilwoman Debra Sikes Burns, all incumbents, qualified without opposition.

Council members John Fisher Kennedy and Danny Ray Collins are not up for election in 2017.

The election is set for Tuesday, November 7. Three weeks of early voting will precede the Tuesday election date.