EMERSON, Ga. — The City of Emerson, in Bartow County, is grieving the loss of its longtime mayor Al Pallone and his wife Millie. They were killed in a car accident allegedly caused by a drunk driver.
Al Pallone first won a seat on Emerson’s City Council during Bill Clinton’s first term – a 38-year run of public service that ended tragically Saturday.
"To lose someone who has been in the Emerson City Government for almost 40 years," City Councilman Vincent Wiley said. He added the emotions are still raw in Emerson.
A few days ago, Mayor Al Pallone presided over Emerson's Christmas festival.
"Obviously we’re not doing well. It’s a shock to lose the mayor," Wiley said.
The Pallones were killed on a stretch of SR 20 near Lake Allatoona. City officials said the area is notorious for traffic accidents.
Sheriff’s deputies arrested another driver and charged him with DUI.
"Mayor Pallone was just phenomenal," said Jerry Haney, who serves on the board of the Excel Christian Academy – a school in downtown Emerson which, he said, thrived with strong personal support from Mayor Pallone.
Pallone served Emerson for 15 years as mayor and another 26 years as a city council member. He made $1,500 annually to serve as mayor, officials said, a minimal salary for an elected official.
Friends said Millie and Al Pallone were devoted parents and grandparents. Wiley is taking the unwanted step of temporarily filling Al Pallone’s job in Emerson’s Mayor’s Office.
"I’m thrown into interim mayor, mayor pro tem you know. I’m kind of scared but you know what? I can hear Al saying, 'you know, you can do it,'" Wiley said.
A city council meeting scheduled for Monday has been canceled. At a meeting in January, the council is expected to formalize which member will finish Al Pallone’s term as mayor. Wiley added the next municipal election is about 11 months from now.
"The void will be massive. It will take some time for this community to recover. But it will be because of his leadership and his presence," Wiley said. "The city, we’re like in a fog right now. We’re so close here. Everybody knows everybody here. So to lose one is a shock. To lose two is a tragedy."