‘Nothing short of a miracle.’ Georgetown swears in first Black mayor

Sunday afternoon was a historic day in the city of Georgetown as the Scott County town’s first Black mayor was sworn in for office.

Burney Jenkins, a Georgetown native and graduate of Georgetown College, celebrated his inauguration at the Ensor Learning Resource Center on campus alongside his wife and Judge Jeremy Mattox to begin serving in the position in January.

Jenkins — monikered as “the people’s mayor” — said the event was “nothing short of a miracle.”

“For me to stand up here and tell you in words what this means to me — I don’t think I can do that,” Jenkins said. “Those words cannot truly express how I am feeling at this point in time.”

Jenkins said he gave everything he owned coming from Tennessee to Georgetown to get an education. He earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education at the college, and was involved in education for 46 years as a teacher, coach, dean of students, and administrator, as well as sports official.

“If you looked where I came from and I didn’t have much growing up, coming up,” he said. “My parents were loving and did the best they could. But never at any given time did I not have a roof over my head. Yeah, there were nights I went to bed hungry, but, God always found a way. God always does things well, and he has never disappointed me ever in my life. So from this point on, I am going to continue to look to the hills, which cometh thy help.

“I am hoping and praying that God gives us, and this council, the wisdom to do this: People first, in every decision, everyday,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins won the election against long-time council member David Lusby, receiving 58% of the vote during the November election.

Georgetown native Harold Dean Jesse, who emceed the event, said the new mayor, city council, and Georgetown College created a “trifecta” for greatness for the future of the city.

“You are making history. This is going to be the strongest city council this city has had in decades,” Jesse said. “You are looking at the most powerful city council that this city has had in 30 years.

“The trifecta is that you have a new mayor, you have a new council that is going to be different because they are going to be doing so many different things and they are going to direct themselves because this hard closure of bureaucracy is coming to an end,” he continued. “The third leg that is very critical, is this campus you are on right now — that is the trifecta. That is Georgetown College. It is our big pillar.”

Rosemary Allen, president of Georgetown College, gave comments which spoke to the partnership of the community, council and the college.

“So many of the people that helped shape this community are connected to the education that has come out of this college — this institution,” Allen said. “We want to be part of making sure that the college and the community continue to grow together because we are all going to be stronger together. We need each other so much to be prepared for the future that is in front of us.”

Also sworn in by Mattox were members of the Georgetown city council including Alonzo Allen, Sonja Wilkins-Brent, Millie Conway, Willow Hambrick, Greg Hampton, Mark Showalter, Todd Stone, and Connie Tackett.