CAIRO — In two weeks, Booker Gainor will write the first chapter in his history book as the City of Cairo’s new mayor. The prologue was written the night of Nov. 7. 

Gainor, 28, will be sworn in on January 8, becoming Cairo’s first African-American mayor. 

The mayor-elect said he is ready to work. 

“This is not going to be anything to do on my own,” he added. “It’s going to be a team effort.” 

Since elected, Gainor has been familiarizing himself with the city’s charter. Gainor also has attended each Cairo City Council meeting since being elected, often taking notes and learning from his soon-to-be fellow city officials. 

Humble beginnings 

Gainor, a Cairo native, graduated from Florida A&M University in 2012 with a degree in business administration. Gainor returned to Cairo after graduating. 

Before his announced his bid to run for mayor, Gainor worked for CNS. 

Gainor resigned from his job to pursue his goal for local office full-time. 

Back in 2016, Gainor said, he was asked to drive the Cairo City Council float in the annual Christmas parade. 

“I’m driving this year, but I’m going to be on there next year,” Gainor recalled. 

He was. 

Gainor traded the driver’s seat for the spotlight as he, along with Council member-elect DeMario Bryden, made their way through Cairo, waving to parade attendees. 

Quote 1

“I’m driving this year, but I’m going to be on there next year,” 

-Gainor recalled. 

Gainor also noted times of adversity, times that left him unemployed, and even challenged his faith. 

“You’ve got to learn how to persevere and keep God first,” he said. 

The road to the mayor’s seat 

The campaign trail was filled with memorable events, Gainor said. 

The campaign had everything from extensive social media use, national recognition, and even Cairo youth knowing he is the mayor-elect. 

“I just pride myself on the diversity of the campaign,” he said. 

Social media use was a big portion of his campaign, Gainor said. The use of a Facebook post — letting residents know when and where to vote in the Cairo election — garnered recognition from the national Democratic Party, Gainor said. 

“That was a huge feat,” he added. 

Not only did Gainor believe he was going to be the next Cairo mayor, so did U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-Virginia). 

Quote 2

“I just pride myself on the

diversity of the campaign,” 

  -Gainor said.  

Gainor recalled meeting Kaine at an event in Tallahassee, Florida. After chatting for only a few minutes, Gainor said, the former Virginia governor and one-time Democrat vice president nominee introduced Gainor as the next mayor of Cairo while speaking to the event’s crowd. 

Along with national recognition, the biggest campaign highlight, Gainor said, came when 91-year-old Elma Lacey cast her vote for him. A friend from his CNS days, Lacey, who was bed-ridden, mailed in her vote for Gainor.  

Gainor credits Bryden as the two campaigned together. 

“I would not have chosen another person to pursue this journey with, win or lose,” he said. 

Gainor also lauds Archway Partnership professional Betsy McGriff and Grady Board of Education member Laura Register for their support throughout the campaign. 

McGriff and Register “really expanded my viewpoint, my knowledge,” Gainor said. 

McGriff, Gainor said, enlisted him in a leadership program. 

Gainor said Register introduced him to Kaine while in Tallahassee. 

“I could go on and on about her,” Gainor said of Register.  

Plans for the Syrup City

After officially taking the mayor’s seat, Gainor hopes to get to work. One area will be the city’s utilities. 

“That’s something I would like to take a look at,” Gainor said. 

Gainor also wants to look at ways to better market the Syrup City. 

“We’ve got to come up with a package to market Cairo,” he added. 

The starting point, Gainor pointed out, is local business. 

“We want to bring them to the forefront,” the mayor-elect said. 

Gainor also wants to see downtown Cairo “really thrive.” 

“The city needs to find other strings of revenue to come to Cairo,” Gainor added. 

The goal is to “get the industry of Cairo going,” he said, by “just being able to push the envelope just a tad because we’re pretty stagnant right now, honestly.” 

Gainor believes there is a minimal amount of growth currently in Cairo, notably on the southwest side of the city. Growth is “not just building Cairo up on one side, but all sides,” the mayor-elect noted. 

In order to grow, successful concepts from surrounding cities such as Thomasville, Bainbridge, and Tallahassee could be taken and tailored to work for Cairo. 

Quote 3

“The city needs to find other

strings of revenue to come to Cairo,” 

-Gainor said. 

The mayor-elect added: “We can still be Cairo.” 

Gainor wants to look at more partnerships with the Cairo-Grady County Chamber of Commerce and Archway, along with finding ways to bring graduates back to Cairo after completing school.  

The mayor-elect also noted building better relationships between the City of Cairo and Grady County. 

“Cairo is still Grady County and Grady County is still Cairo,” he said. 

Gainor also wants to issue a proclamation for Bruce “BJ” Maynor, a 29-year-old who lost his life saving a young male during a family outing at St. George Island back in May.  

Unity, Gainor said, is the forefront view from the mayor’s seat. 

An open line of communication and natural “gift”

With only two weeks left as mayor-elect, Gainor said he feels like the mayor when kids point their fingers toward him “and know who I am.” 

“I really feel like that’s the most fulfilling part so far,” he added. 

Since his win in early November, Gainor said he handles every phone call he receives. 

“I want to be as transparent as possible,” he said, adding he wants an open line of communication with Cairo residents. 

Gainor said while he does not have all the answers, he wants to ensure Cairo residents he will work hard to find them.  

“I do not take this position lightly,” he said. 

Along with an open line of communication, Gainor hopes to bring his natural “gift” to the mayor’s seat. 

“I have never been in a room where I felt out of place,” he said. 

Gainor added: “I see myself as Booker Gainor, mayor of Cairo.”

Reporter Jordan Barela can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1826.