County mayor Jake Bynum, is bringing new vigor to the Weakley County area.
Jake Bynum is the youngest county mayor in the history of Weakley County. Following in the footsteps of the second-oldest mayor in the county’s history, Jake Bynum came prepared to re-energize the area.
Born and raised in Dresden, Jake Bynum has lived his whole life in Weakley County. Bynum graduated from UTM in the Fall of 2006. He worked at First State Bank in Dresden for 10 years before deciding to run for mayor. His initial announcement of his plan came in 2013, however Bynum had been involved in the community and county government long before that. Bynum served as the president of the Rotary Club as well as on the Chamber of Commerce. He was also the local festival director for several years and planned events such as the Iris Festival in Dresden.
Bynum had originally planned on waiting another term to run for mayor, but his predecessor decided to retire so the timing worked well. After consulting with his wife, they both decided that it was time for him to run for county mayor and she gave him her full support. His message was simple: Change the dynamic of the county mayor to a younger, more energetic ambassador of the county.
Bynum did have several challenges to overcome during his campaign, including being bitten by dogs on more than one occasion. He was also often asked if he was campaigning for his father since he was so young. Bynum was not discouraged however and won the Weakley County Mayor position.
Bynum described the job of county mayor as, “A salesman of the county.” His job is to entice businesses to open shop here, and to encourage people to move to Weakley County. On a day-to-day basis, the Weakley County mayor works with five city mayors, with the Chancellor of UTM serving as a sixth executive.
Bynum strives to make connections outside the county while being involved in the community. Although he travels to Nashville, Memphis, and many other cities meeting with legislators and corporations, he is home every night and enjoys attending local sporting events and spending time with his wife and two children. To Bynum, public service and community involvement is extremely important in the job of county mayor and something he enjoys.
Bynum’s own goal for the county is to create a quality of place. Instead of promoting the standard ‘white picket’ quality of life, Bynum believes that the county can become a place that allows people to create and cultivate their own ideal quality of life. Bynum drew parallels between his job as county mayor and his role as a dad. After describing his two children as the cutest kids in the whole world, he pointed out that all he can do is create opportunities for them to be successful. He believes it’s the county’s job to do the same for its citizens, by creating opportunities for them to live and work.
This model includes local businesses opening in Martin. Bynum used Savant Learning Systems and the Martin Coffee House as examples of what his vision for Weakley County includes. These businesses are unique in that their owners are UTM alumni who fell in love with Martin and decided to stay and pursue their dreams. In Bynum’s words, “The University is home for four years, but we want to make Martin a home for forever.” He would like to see more unique experiences come to Martin, especially from the graduates of UTM.
Jake Bynum’s roll as Weakley County mayor is more than a full-time job. Often up at five in the morning, he spends many hours on the road traveling. When he arrives back in Weakley County, he routinely spends his free time at being involved in the community as much as possible. His job requires sacrifice but, to him, it is the best job in the world.
The Weakley County Mayor election is in August. Bynum will seek re-election against opponent Jason Plunk. Bynum is hopeful for another four years of being able to serve the community and continue to be an ambassador for Weakley County.
Photo Credit/ Jake Bynum
