Carolyn Johnson
City Clerk Connie Keeling said Tuesday that Johnson's opponent, Chereta Gordon, has withdrawn from the race due to a conflict of interest with her job. Gordon is employed by the Bartow County Superior Probate Court.
Keeling said it is not decided at this time when Johnson will be sworn into office.
"There will not be any election ... and I won't be able to get [clarification] until Jan. 3 because the [Georgia Secretary of State] office is closed until then," Keeling said.
Johnson, who knew Dean well, said she was encouraged by friends to help carry on his interests with the school board.
"I have a lot of respect for [Dean], and to serve in the position he was in, I think may be a hard job ... not that I can fulfill his shoes, but I certainly can try to do the best job I can for the city school board," Johnson said, adding her past 28 years working with the Department of Family and Children Services will aid her in serving the position.
She currently is employed by the Bartow County Juvenile Court. Johnson said her job does not create a conflict of interest because she works for the county court while opponent Gordon is employed by the state superior court.
"I'm interested in children. I'm also a product of Cartersville High School and my daughter is also a product of Cartersville High School, so I have some background and I'm very familiar and very active with the schools ... And I just love children so I want to do whatever I can for them and be a voice for them," Johnson said. "I don't have any reason not to be objective because I don't have any children in the school system now, but that doesn't mean I'm not concerned with [students] and what happens in their education and graduation, and whatever is involved from beginning to end I want to be a part of that."