JONESBORO, Ga. — Jonesboro Mayor Donya Sartor says it’s a new chapter not only for her but for the city of Jonesboro.
“It’s exciting. I don’t take for granted that I’m back at this place,” Sartor said.
Sartor was surrounded by residents, clergy, and city officials Monday at the First Baptist Church of Jonesboro during her swearing-in ceremony.
She was elected as the city’s first black mayor in March 2023. She won the special election after the city’s former mayor, Joy Day, resigned in 2022.
Sartor served for 6 months before getting reelected in November.
“We’re ready to move past that, in doing work to move Jonesboro forward,” she said.
However, Sartor describes the months leading up to this day as an attempt to discredit her leadership.
“Those allegations mean absolutely nothing,” Sartor said.
Channel 2 investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln first reported on allegations of misconduct after councilmembers voted to conduct an independent investigation into allegations of abuse of power and misuse of city resources.
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Channel 2 Action News reported in September the mayor was accused of pointing a gun at a Jonesboro police officer.
The GBI said they found no wrongdoing against Sartor, after a month’s long investigation.
“When the GBI rendered their conclusion that they were unfounded, Jan. 1st starts a new tenure for me, a new set of four years, and nothing from the past can come forward at this particular point,” she told Lincoln.
Last week, the Sartor fired Jonesboro Police Chief Tommy Henderson. She told Lincoln it isn’t uncommon for a new mayor being in new leadership.
In December, former Jonesboro Sgt. Darryll Triplett described his firing as retaliation after his participation in the investigation against Sartor.
“What is that putting out to the rest of the employees, that if you go against Donya Sartor, if you say anything against Donya Sartor that she doesn’t like, you’re going to be terminated,” Triplett said.
Sartor continues to deny any form of retaliation and maintains criticism against her was racially motivated.
“I didn’t feel like it was fair for me to come in for such a short term and make such big changes, so I was very strategic and intentional about making the adjustments that I need,” she said.
Sartor said her first order of business is filling vacancies and restoring morale.
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