Clio native Adam Pate was sworn in as mayor of Clio on Oct. 21 by Probate Judge Mark Heath.
Photo by Jacqueline Hough
Adam Pate chose to run as mayor because Clio is very special place to him. With him is his wife Morgan, son Weston, and daughter Adalyn.
Photo courtesy of Adam Pate
CLIO – Adam Pate was sworn in as mayor of Clio at the Oct. 21 town council meeting.
Pate, who grew up in Clio, was sworn in by Probate Judge Mark Heath, also a Clio resident.
“I just am so thankful to be able to be in this position to serve the residents of Clio,” he said. “This is a big role, but nothing is ever accomplished, in my opinion, of any significance without God. And I just want to be able to make a difference in some type of way, in some small way.”
Pate told town council members that he was excited to be at the table and was ready to get to know each of them.
“I also want to know you guys as well,” Pate said to the public. “I am a very approachable person. I am willing to listen. It’s a pleasure to be a part of this little town and we hope that we can bring some good things to our community and make a difference here in Clio.”
Pate said he didn’t really think that he would come back to Clio after college, but God had other plans.
Pate added he was thankful to be back in the place where he grew up.
In an interview with the Herald-Advocate, Pate said he chose to run for mayor because Clio is very special place to him. He has lived 23 of his 33 years in Clio and has a heart for the town.
Pate enjoyed the ten years he lived in Lynchburg, VA where he attended Liberty University and started his career, but there was no place like home. “God blessed me with a job opportunity that brought me back to Marlboro County. I am very thankful for that,” he said.
When he moved back in 2016, Pate thought about entering the next election but chose not to. “When the special election came up, I started praying about my decision,” he said. “After several unsolicited phone calls from citizens of Clio that I trust asking me to run, I felt like the Lord was leading me in that direction. I registered to run as mayor and ended up running unopposed.”
Pate said he often wished he could go back in time and experience Clio in the early 19th century. “My grandparents told me stories of our town and how it thrived so well during that time,” he said. “Clio did not get to where it is today overnight. It will also not fix itself overnight. I truly believe that nothing of any significance will ever be achieved without God at the forefront.”
As mayor, he wants to get the community back together. “COVID really put a damper on activities and events,” he said. “I want to start a monthly ‘Prayer at the Square’ where we pray for our town, it’s goals and its people.”
In 2023, Pate would like to see several new events to gather as a community and fellowship. Pate said he has been working hard since being sworn in to rebrand the town logo, which will later lead to new signage and hopefully a beautiful mural in town. He also wanted to start an initiative to beautify the downtown area and clean up old abandoned buildings. “I am going to strategically meet with community leaders and business owners to create a plan to bring new businesses to our town with fair incentives for those businesses to be there,” he said. “I will most definitely have a plate full, but I want to see the best for Clio. I want to see Clio thriving again.”