Marsha Dale Keating is running for Grovetown’s vacant city council seat for the second time. The first time, she ran against former Councilman Allen Transou, who died in November due to COVID-19 related complications.
Keating is no stranger to public service positions. Her resume includes serving on Grovetown’s Planning Committee, the Mayor’s Advisory Board and volunteering at the Grovetown Museum. She is actively engaged in the Special Olympics.
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She and her husband of 21 years, Jeff, moved to Grovetown in 2004 when he was stationed at Fort Gordon. The couple fell in love with Grovetown’s charm. Even after traveling the world, they decided to call the small city their home.
Jeff’s career presented many unique opportunities for his wife. In Germany, she served as chapel coordinator. In Alaska, she was a member of the Army Family Action Plan.
“When I was in Alaska, we were successful in getting advanced cost of living allowance,” Keating said with pride in her voice. The increase in COLA funds, approved by Congress, assisted military families, stationed in a state known for its harsh temperatures, in purchasing essential winter apparel.
Keating’s travels to countries like Russia and Germany impressed upon her an understanding that between large government involvement and being left alone, people prefer to be left alone. Her experiences also helped the candidate grow her Christian faith.
“I learned that politics is not nasty,” she said. “People chasing after power, that’s nasty.”
Keating said she is a candidate chasing peace. She hopes to inspire a spirit of unity in Grovetown. She wants to promote retail growth while preserving the small-town feel. She hopes to increase and inspire public participation with surveys, polls and quarterly newsletters. She believes the council should listen to outlying residents who express interest in annexation.
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“I want Grovetown residents to feel relaxed in their environment,” she said. “I want them to be safe in their environment. I want them to enjoy living here.”
The road to enjoyment, in Keating’s eyes, includes increased recreational programs for the area’s youth. She wants to see arts and crafts activities and play dates for moms’ with toddlers.
“Our teenagers need more to do than go to the parks and play basketball,” she said and commented she desires to see more private businesses invest in increasing recreational options.
Public participation is an important issue that requires brainstorming, according to Keating. She would like to see the city offer classes on local government processes. Recently, a man in his early 20s told her he had no interest in voting.
“It kind of hurt my feelings that he was so against voicing his opinion,” she said and expressed that polls and surveys are necessary tools. “We need to find out why they are against it.”
Unlike Ceretta Smith, who is also running for the vacant seat, Keating’s platform does not include traffic problems. She feels the state and county have taken steps to alleviate them. She expects traffic will move west of Grovetown with the closing of Fort Gordon’s Gate 2 and the use of Gate 6. The city has yet to feel the impact of that change, she said. She would like to see the speed limit reduced and a crosswalk installed in front of Liberty Park Community Center, in the meantime.
“All the candidates that have run in the past 20 years, every single one of them have promised to fix traffic,” she said and laughed. “Well, here we are.”
A humanitarian at heart, with a passion for the elderly, Keating said she would also like to see the City Council chambers used as a COVID-19 vaccination site.
Shellie Smitley is a staff writer for The Augusta Press. Reach her at shellie.smitley@theaugusutapress.com
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