Former Commerce Mayor Charles L. “Buzzie” Hardy Jr. got a retirement sendoff last week that included people most likely to appreciate his service — his fellow mayors.
Seven mayors — many of them longtime friends — came to the city-hosted reception last Thursday at the Commerce Civic Center to help local residents show appreciation for Hardy’s 22 years of service.
The Commerce City Council presented a framed copy of a lengthy resolution outlining progress the city made during Hardy’s tenure, from upgrading the electrical department to improving recreational facilities, and presented him with a gavel plaque even though the mayor never had a gavel at his disposal as he presided over more than 500 city council meetings.
“They wouldn’t let me have a gavel at a meeting,” Hardy quipped, “but I really can’t think of more than one or two times when I needed one. Twenty-two years, that’s not bad.”
The former mayor didn’t exactly take credit for the long list of city accomplishments and improvements.”
“This didn’t happen by accident,” he said. “You surround yourself with good people — the city manager, the city clerk, all the city staff and everybody else, and the citizens of Commerce who gave me the idea to do all these things.”
Hardy called the reception, which packed the Commerce Room of the Commerce Civic Center, “overwhelming.”
His successor, Mayor Clark Hill, presided over the event, noting that Hardy left the city in “sound financial condition” and pointing out that he “led the city through a lot of hard times.”
After the presentations, made with the mayor flanked by the city council and city staff, Hill invited Hardy’s peers to offer a word or two.
“Certainly he was a mentor of mine early in my tenure, and I really appreciate him very much,” said Elberton Mayor Larry Guest.
“Buzzie’s been a good friend of ours for a number of years. He’s really taught me a lot, but I don’t want to go into that much detail,” joked Jim Andrews, mayor of Sandersville.
“He’s a joy to be with on the golf course or on a fishing boat. He’s always been a man of character, and one thing he told me one time, I’ll never forget: He doesn’t care about being in the spotlight or being on the front page. He said, ‘I just want to work with the people of my city.’ That means a lot to everybody, and I’m sure it does to y’all.”
Bill Yearta, mayor of Sylvester, spoke next.
“I know what you’ve gone through and what you appreciate in a good mayor,” he said. “My wife and I were good friends with Buzzie and Paula. One of the first meetings my wife and I attended, how welcome Buzzie and Paula made us feel. We were friends from there on, and it’s going to be a friendship from now on.”
Arcade Mayor Doug Haynie took the lighter approach:
“Buzzie, I know what you go through, and I think all the mayors around the state of Georgia appreciate you and have a lot of appreciation for what a long-term mayor goes through. I have only one question — What were you thinking?”
Jefferson Mayor Jim Joiner drew laughter when he remarked, “I am totally surprised that I got an invitation.”
Joiner told a story about Hardy busting into his bathroom when Joiner lived on Roosevelt Boulevard in Commerce long before Hardy was mayor. Hardy was on the Commerce Fire Department at the time.
“I’m getting out of the shower, and here comes Buzzie coming through the bathroom,” Joiner recalled.
“I said, ‘what’s going on.’ He said, ‘you got a fire.’”
It turned out that there was no fire — just smoke from some discarded wood ashes that prompted a call to the fire department, Joiner said.
“That was the first occasion I had to really know him,” Joiner concluded to laughter.
“Buzzie has been a great friend and a great mayor,” Joiner added. “I know you’re going to miss him, but I think you’ve got a great one coming along though that will do you a great job. I’m sure Buzzie will be around to give him all kinds of advice.”
Hill picked up on the last comment.
“Buzzie retired Dec. 31, but I still remember his cell phone number, so he’s not off the hook,” Hill commented.
Hill also spoke to the example he said Hardy and his late wife, Paula, provided for him.
“I had the opportunity over the last three years to be at meetings around the state with Buzzie and Paula and just see how they’ve interacted with people and all the great friends they’ve made and the great job they did representing the city of Commerce,” Hill said. “I just want to say thanks for being a great mentor for me. I hope we make you proud. … I hope Dorine and I can represent the city of Commerce with just half the grace that you and Paula did. We will have done a good job.”
