Tuesday, February 25, 2025–8:55 a.m.

-David Crowder, WRGA News-

In honor of Black History Month, the Rome City Commission recognized three bridge builders Monday night.

The first honoree was Rome City Police Chief Denise Downer-McKinney, who has been with the department for nearly 40 years, has served as chief since 2016.

“Every bridge she crosses, she takes someone along with her,” said Rome City Commissioner Elaina Beeman. “She has a team that backs the blue that looks just like her because she has broken all of the racial division. She doesn’t see color, she sees people.”

The other two honorees were the husband and wife team of Bill and Faith Collins.

Faith Collins has been on the Rome City School Board for 23 years and currently serves as chair.

“She has a team that she loves,” Beeman said. “She stands behind the children. She stands behind her superintendent. She stands with all her board members, and she stands with all the people who have children in the Rome City School System.”

Meanwhile, Bill Collins has been on the Rome City Commission since 1996 and was the first minority mayor of Rome.

“This gentleman held a business, he held onto his family, and at the same time, they were servants,” Beeman said. “Sometimes, we weren’t so nice to them. Sometimes, we were very nice to them. Sometimes, we were knocking on their doors and calling them all hours of the night because we needed them. But that’s what a servant does, when you’re called and chosen. That’s what a bridge builder does.”

A proclamation read by Commissioner Jamie Doss called the Collins’ a “Dynamic duo,” with over 50 years of combined service.