Early voting to fill the two seats up for grabs in the Dobbins Heights Town Council race is slated to begin Thursday, and incumbent Councilman Curtis Ratliff has officially reversed his decision to sit this one out, announcing he will be a write-in candidate.

Incumbent Councilwoman Angeline David will also be up for reelection, as well. Challengers Romeo Jones and James Whitt try to shake-up the current chemistry of the council.

The two incumbents made their case in a group interview Tuesday, both saying they wanted to be there to see quality of life projects they’ve worked on in the past come to fruition.

Challenger Whitt is running on a platform of expanding the town’s taxbase, while challenger Jones would also like to see the quality of life improved for Dobbins Heights residents.

Whitt said he would like to change “the whole Dobbins Heights.”

He owns Sunny’s Corner Stop on Earl Franklin Drive, and is a longtime resident of the town.

“The people need to know what’s going on in the community,” he said. “We need more taxbase, and we need to be able to annex and expand Dobbins Heights. Right now, we’re locked in to what we’ve got and we’ve grown stagnant.”

He said if he is elected he will work to influence the state legislature to allow the town to annex surrounding areas.

“There’s taxbase all around us, and we need to be able to tap it,” he said. “We also need to know why our water rates are so high compared to other areas in the county. I’m going to talk to the people, and see if we can get what the people want, not just what a couple of individuals want.”

Incumbents Ratliff and David both have lived in the area for approximately 30 years, and agreed they work well together.

“If I’m re-elected, I will do my best to give 110 percent of myself, the way I’ve always tried to do,” Ratliff said. “I can’t make any promises, but will give it my all and all.”

He has served two terms on the council, and is up for his third term.

“We’ve weathered the storms, and there have been many,” he said. “

The Dobbins Heights Community Park is central to the platforms of both incumbents, and one-term incumbent David pointed out progress has been made since the last municipal elections, pointing to the reopening of the pool.

“We really need to get some new playground equipment out there too,” David continued. “That equipment has been out there for 25 years, and that is a real need in this community.”

She also pointed out there is very little for seniors to do in Dobbins Heights.

“All the other areas around here have a place for them to go, and that is something else that Dobbins Heights really needs,” she said.

“Just somewhere for them to go for an hour or two a day would be great,” Ratliff added. “Sometimes, they’re just happy for people to come visit with them.”

Jones said his campaign is also focused on quality of life issues, and he was influenced to run because of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

“I’m geared more towards the children,” Jones said. “Doing things for the children like the park and trying to get that where it needs to be.”

He said his over 60 years in the area has given him some insight into the community.

“I have some ideas, and maybe I could get together with some of the other council members and bounce some of my ideas off of them, and we could come up with a plan for the town,” Jones said.