Joe Stockton, 37, has gone through a lot of suffering shortly after the time he was elected to a seat on the Albany City Council and being sworn in a few weeks later–having suffered severely from the dreaded COVID-19 virus.

Stockton, one of two new members now serving on the city’s governing body, is the son of the late Junior (J.J.) Stockton and the late Thelma Jane Smith. He also owned Lil Joe’s Deli in south Albany prior to his illness and is now farming in the Wisdom Dock area of Clinton County.

The new city councilman said he decided to run for the seat after hearing a lot of concerns from the public about the most recent water rate bills and other things the city was doing. “They asked me to run and try and help out,” he said.

Stockton said at one point he had moved away from Albany, but was born and raised here and wanted the city to do good.

Stockton said the water issues were the biggest problems facing the city in his opinion, as well as much needed equipment for all city departments to allow employees to do their jobs right and in a timely fashion. Along those lines, he noted the city needed more manpower to take care of the city’s needs and provide necessary services.

“We need more people to help fix water leaks,” said Stockton, which has been a primary problem facing the city water department over the years, and “getting water to those people on Bald Rock is a top priority.”

When asked about the city’s primary assets, the new council member quickly stated, “The people.” He said this was a small community and bad things weren’t going on here like in many other areas, and that is why people want to come live here, or come back and retire here.

A couple of things that Stockton would like to see accomplished during his tenure on the council, include, better and enough equipment for city departments, water upgrades, and replacing old worn out lines in the city with new ones.

Stockton said he felt the current city council “are all good people” and feel they can work together for the betterment of the citizens.

Stockton has already attended one council meeting since being seated, but has had a rough go of things in the last few months.

The new council member, also a military veterans, was diagnosed with the COVID virus the day before Thanksgiving and spent seven days at the VA Hospital in Lexington, much of the time on oxygen.

During his bout with what he described as COVID pneumonia, his lungs also became damaged to a certain extent, but since then have healed to the point where he no longer has to take breathing treatments.

Stockton was on quarantine for a total of 20 days, and recommends that anyone diagnosed with the virus “stay at home” until cleared by medical doctors.

“Not being able to breathe is the most serious thing I have ever been through,” said Stockton, noting that problem, while he was on oxygen, lasted four or five days.

He said doctors prescribed him the same drugs to fight the virus as were prescribed to former President Donald Trump, and he also received plasma and other treatments, as well as steroids for his lung and breathing problems.

He added late last week that he is no longer on breathing treatments and doing much better, but urges people to use precautions to help themselves and others fight the virus.

Stockton described himself as always being a “people person” and said his constituents could reach him anytime, including on social media and Facebook and send him a message at any time.

He concluded by thanking everyone who helped elect him and for giving him a chance, concluding, “I hope I can live up to their expectations.”