Early voting starts Tuesday
Two candidates, Nancy Lehman and Mark Mullinax, are facing off for Baldwin City Council’s vacant seat. The person elected to the position will serve the remainder of former council member Joseph Satterfield’s term which is a little over 3 years. Early voting begins on Oct. 15 and Election Day is Nov. 5.
Nancy Lehman
A Baldwin resident of nearly 20 years, Lehman believes her business experience will be a good asset to the city council. She formerly worked in print advertising and digital media for General Telephone & Electronics, now known as Verizon. Lehman said she can bring budgeting, data analysis and staffing skills to the table.
She said her priorities for the city can be boiled down to three overarching topics: safety, growth and quality of life. When it comes to safety, Lehman said she wants to see safety alert badges implemented at Baldwin Elementary School that help notify authorities in case of intruders, medical emergencies, and other urgent situations. The badges were used in the September shooting at Apalachee High School.
She also wants to address growth and infrastructure along the Ga. Highway 365 corridor. “Growth is a good thing and keeps property taxes down but needs to be managed,” she said. “With growth you have to have good infrastructure,” adding that she would love to see more restaurants in the city and tax generating industries along 365 and in the industrial park.
Lehman also thinks traffic along the highway needs to be addressed and hopes council can work with the Georgia Department of Transportation and Habersham County to ensure safer roads. She also added that she wants to ensure both the Banks and Habersham County sides of the city are equipped with animal control services.
She grew up on a farm and said she understands the background and concerns of residents in the rural areas of Baldwin. “I like to listen to citizens and see what they have to say,” said Lehman. “I want to listen to the folks not just at the meetings but wherever interactions are done.”
Mark Mullinax
Mullinax lived in Baldwin for about seven years until he moved to Cleveland in 2006, and then returned to Baldwin three years ago where he currently resides.
He currently owns an insurance company and designs cabinets.
He said public safety is one of his top issues.
“My main objective is making sure that our police and firemen and public works have what they need and making sure our community has what it needs,” said Mullinax.
He said he wants the city to “get ahead of the game” when it comes to preparing for growth along Ga. Highway 365. “I am 100 percent for growth. I’m pro-growth, always have been, always will be. I think you can grow too quickly. We don’t want to outgrow our infrastructure,” he said. “I want to continue to get our infrastructure in a place where we can support the growth. I love seeing new people. I love seeing our little city grow.”
If elected he wants to have sit-down conversations with the Sheriff’s offices in both Banks and Habersham Counties to see more cooperation and increase response times.
When it comes to taxes, Mullinax said wants to find his spot on council to help find a balance between tax revenue and other kinds of revenue the city collects.
“Why I want to be elected is to help my city grow and grow the correct way and to make sure that we are on a path to growth that will be beneficial to Baldwin as well as Habersham and Banks county,” Mullinax added. “We don’t want to be a burden on either county, but at the same time we don’t want to be taken advantage of either.”