Days from the election, one campaign for Macon-Bibb County mayor is more visible than others: signs for one-time Macon mayor C. Jack Ellis dominate the roadside.

In an interview with GPB, Ellis said he now has about a hundred volunteers in his campaign organization.

"We don't have a lot of money, so we have to make it up with hard work and volunteers," Ellis said. "So they're working hard, and I'm very pleased that they believe in our vision and are working so hard for us."

Ellis is standing by his record as he seeks the top job in the new Macon-Bibb County government. The city struggled fiscally under Ellis' leadership from 1999 to 2007, though he attributes that to an unfavorable tax revenue sharing agreement with the county.

There's a reason the city's fund balance rose under his successor, Ellis said.

"Robert Reichert, if you want to mention him, he laid people off. We never laid off one soul. Never cut anyone's pay," he said. "We didn't eliminate one garbage route, we didn't close one fire station, we didn't close one precinct, we didn't close one recreation center. As far as the citizens were concerned, we never missed a beat."

Ellis opposed the consolidation referendum, but says one benefit of bringing the city and county together is that there won't be any more ugly fights over revenue.

GPB will speak with all six candidates on the Macon-Bibb mayoral ballot in the coming days.

Tags: Adam Ragusea, C. Jack Ellis, 2013 Macon mayoral race