Newspaper Page Text
Page 12A
LOCAL
The Champion, Thursday, June 11 - 17, 2015
District 5
Continued From Page 11A
housing and community
development, University of
Maryland; bachelor of arts,
urban policy, Syracuse Uni
versity; certification in real
estate development, Univer
sity of Southern California
Ross Minority Program;
special certification: certi
fied aging in place specialist
Occupation: manage
ment executive
What political of
fices have you held in the
past? None
Have you ever been con
victed of a crime? No
Why are you seeking
this office? I decided to run
because I care about the lack
of progress in our commu
nity and our personal lives.
I want to use my resources;
relationships; business expe
rience; economic develop
ment skills; and ability to
bring investment to the area;
to improve the quality of life
in South DeKalb.
What do you under
stand the duties of this
office to be? To protect,
defend and enable the goals
of the United States Con
stitution for all citizens;
appropriations; authorize
and collect taxes; determine
commission agenda; deter
mine county debt load; au
thorize inter-governmental
agreements; determine how
land is to be used (zoning);
approve contracts; establish
local laws; set fees and fines;
make/affirm appointments.
What expertise do you
have that will help you
fulfill the duties of this of
fice? Appointed by DeKalb’s
CEO and BOC to serve on
the DeKalb Development
Authority where I still serve.
Currently averaging 1,000
hours annually volunteer
ing in DeKalb. 22 year work
history building communi
ties. Served in leadership
roles with the Georgia
and DeKalb Chambers of
Commerce. My education
uniquely prepared me to
serve.
Mereda Davis Johnson
Education: Bachelor of
art and masters of arts, Ten
nessee State University; juris
doctor, Thurgood Marshall
School of Law, Texas South
ern University
Occupation: Attorney
What political of
fices have you held in the
past? None
Have you ever been con
victed of a crime? No
Why are you seeking
this office? I love and want
to serve the citizens of
DeKalb County. I have lived
my entire adult life in South
DeKalb County. This is
where I have raised my fam
ily and built my law practice,
and it is where I want to stay
and help raise my future
grandkids. I....(truncated)
What do you under
stand the duties of this
office to be? Oversight and
funding for basis govern
mental services, including,
public safety, roads and
drainage, parks and recre
ation, zoning and land use,
water and sewer, and other
services.
What expertise do you
have that will help you
fulfill the duties of this of
fice?
I believe in honest gov
ernment service, with elect
ed officials working togeth
er to confront our challenges
while producing the kind
of economic development
that leads to clean, safe and
sustainable neighborhoods. I
have a history of community
service, working behind the
scenes on a broad range of
issues important to our....
(truncated)
★★★★★★★
Gina Mangham
Education: Bachelor
of business administra
tion finance, University of
Michigan; Juris doctorate,
John Marshall Law School in
Atlanta
Occupation: Practicing
attorney and mediator
What political of
fices have you held in the
past? None /20-year com
munity advocate
Have you ever been con
victed of a crime? No
Why are you seeking
this office? Serving as 5th
District commissioner is
a natural extension of my
commitment, dedication
and hard work to protect,
develop and improve the
5th District in a manner
beneficial to all of DeKalb.
I cannot be bought or in
timidated; I will always put
the interests of the citizens
above my own.
What do you under
stand the duties of this of
fice to be? Listen to constit
uents and address concerns
about county services; build
coalitions between govern
ment, business and com
munity groups to achieve
goals; initiate and pass laws
that will improve and sus
tain a high quality of life;
make recommendations for
responsible spending; pass
annual budgets; serve with
honesty and integrity; be ac
countable.
What expertise do you
have that will help you ful
fill the duties of this office?
My professional experience
has a depth that will be valu
able to DeKalb, with exper
tise in law and mediation,
and previous experience
as a legislative aide in the
Georgia House, managing
attorney for Legal Aid, exec
utive director of Pittsburgh
Partnership Community
Development Corporation
in Atlanta, and a financial
analyst with IBM.
★★★★★★★
Kathryn Rice
Education: Ph.D. in pub
lic policy specializing in eco
nomic development and ur
ban affairs from a joint pro
gram at Georgia Tech and
Georgia State University.
Completed requirements for
M.P.A. at Georgia State Uni
versity. B.A. in government
from Harvard University
Occupation: Consultant
in community and econom
ic development
What political offices
have you held in the past?
None
Have you ever been con
victed of a crime? No
Why are you seeking
this office? I am running
for office because I want to
do what I’ve been doing for
years-represent the issues
and concerns of residents
in southern DeKalb. I know
the issues; I am an excellent
organizer; I understand eco
nomic development; and I
am honest and ethical.
What do you under
stand the duties of this of
fice to be? A commissioners
primary duty is to create
ordinances that oversee the
financial and geographical
needs of the county. This
includes approving ap
propriations; levying taxes;
regulating land use; and
maintaining water, sewer,
roads, sanitation and other
services. These services con
stitute the backbone of what
is needed for successful eco
nomic development.
What expertise do you
have that will help you ful
fill the duties of this office?
I have a doctorate in public
policy specializing in eco
nomic development. I have
extensive community expe
rience in southern DeKalb
(founder of SDIA and
founder of CCCSD for city-
hood). I have been a strong
advocate for economic de
velopment (chair of SDIA
Economic Development and
supporter of the EMD-CID).
★★★★★★★
Kenneth Saunders III
Education: Civil engi
neering technology, South
ern Polytechnic State Uni
versity
Occupation: Technology
consultant
What political offices
have you held in the past?
This is my first time running
for public office
Have you ever been con
victed of a crime? No
Why are you seeking
this office? I ’m running for
District 5 commissioner
because I believe in increas
ing the quality of life for the
county through balanced
and sustainable growth, in
creasing public safety, fiscal
responsibility and economic
development.
What do you under
stand the duties of this of
fice to be? The duties of be
ing commissioner of DeKalb
County include increasing
the quality of life for its citi
zens through sound policies
and fiscal responsibility.
What expertise do you
have that will help you
fulfill the duties of this of
fice? My 18 years of public
service includes my involve
ment in the DeKalb Com
munity Council for 12 years.
In addition, I’ve held several
elected roles with the Hid
den Hills Civic Association
where I currently serve as
vice president of external af
fairs. Being co-chair of eco
nomic development of the
South DeKalb Improvement
....(truncated)
George Turner Jr.
Education: B. A. degree,
Georgia State University
Occupation: Retired
from MARTA, last position
was general superintendent
of rail transportation.
See District 5 on page 16A