Friday, August 31, 2001
Friday, August 31, 2001 |
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Faulkner to run for council seat By JOHN MUNFORD
Peachtree City's former city clerk has formally announced her candidacy for a seat on the City Council. Nancy Faulkner, 35, is currently the city clerk in Fairburn. She is running for the seat currently held by Steve Rapson, who has also said he will run for that post. Faulkner, who is certified as a city clerk at the state and national levels, said she wants to see council play a more active role in guiding creation of the budget and analyzing it year-round. "The budget is a living document and we should be looking at it throughout the year," Faulkner said. Faulkner also wants council to have more workshops that lean more toward council discussion with less reliance on staff input. She also wants to solicit input from citizens by possibly setting aside 10 or 15 minutes at the beginning of each council meeting for citizens' comments. Faulkner is also concerned about the needs of unsupervised older children in the city, particularly those 12 and over. The city already has plenty of programs for younger children, but the older kids are falling through the cracks, she said. The older children need an "organized environment" too, she said. "Kids between 12 and 16 need more supervision than ever," Faulkner said, adding that she would like to see the city's Commission on Children and Youth address these issues. Grant funding could be a suitable option for funding such programs since the city's budget is tight, Faulkner said. She thinks a "teen center" is not the solution, and although she has some ideas on the subject it will be important to get input from others also, she said. Faulkner also said she doesn't think athletic programs are the solution, either. She used her 13-year-old daughter as an example, saying she is more drawn towards drama, arts and dance programs than athletics. "It's hard keeping her busy during the summer," Faulkner said. "And I'm sure I'm not the only one with that problem." In addition to raising her three children and serving as Fairburn's city clerk, Faulkner has also been busy pursuing an integrated studies degree at Clayton State College and University focusing on government, administration and law classes. Faulkner resigned from the city in March, citing changes in the position and a increased lack of job security. In January, council appointed City Manager Jim Basinger as clerk instead of reappointing Faulkner. The move did not change Faulkner's job duties, but placed her under the direct supervision of Basinger; Faulkner said after resigning that she had no problems with the arrangement. Faulkner received a settlement package from the city worth almost $30,000, including six months' severance pay. City records indicated several council members had discussed the possibility of firing Faulkner months before she wasn't reappointed as clerk.
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