Now in his 13th year as mayor of Dacula, Jimmy Wilbanks said the best part about his job is making a difference in the community.

First elected to office in 1971, Wilbanks is now beginning his third consecutive term as mayor and his fifth term overall.

During and after his first two terms as mayor in the 1970s, Wilbanks worked for the University of Georgia's Center for Continuing Education. In 1979, Wilbanks took a position with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency – a job he held until his retirement in 1988.

Wilbanks said he decided to return to politics to give back to the community that has been his lifelong home.

"I just wanted to make as big a difference as I could," he said.

According to Wilbanks, his primary goal throughout his years of public service has been to make Dacula a great place to live, work and play.

Wilbanks said city leaders and residents have made great progress towardreaching that goal.

"When I was growing up, there wasn't anything here. There was nothing to do," Wilbanks said. "After the sun went down, there was no place to go. Our great thing when I was growing up was to go up to Lawrenceville and ride around the Dairy Queen."

Since being elected mayor, Wilbanks has worked to change that.

"We're trying to bring more businesses to Dacula so people will be able to work here and not have to go downtown," he said.

Wilbanks and city leaders have also increased recreational options with the Maple Creek Park and worked to foster a sense of community with events such as Dacula's annual Memorial Day parade.

Though he has dedicated 13 years to serving the citizens of Dacula, Wilbanks gives area residents the credit for making the community great.

"Those that have been here for a long time are really open to new ideas and new things," he said. "People who are moving in, of course, make a city stronger because they bring new ideas and new concepts and new things they would like to see."

According to Wilbanks, it is the people of Dacula that make the city a home.

"It's a great place to live," he said.