I am glad to see all the candidates at the forums and in the newspapers. It is the responsibility of every citizen to get informed on the candidates, and make an informed choice on the SPLOST. But what doesn’t always come out in the newspapers is a person’s character.

I would like to point out that one of the candidates in particular has stayed informed on matters of education in our county, and has spoken up on behalf of teachers in Fayette County when nobody else had the courage.

Kim Learnard, candidate for Post 3, has shown she is capable of tackling the toughest issues. She stood in front of the Fayette County Board of Education last spring and chastised John DeCotis for making over $214,000 a year while laying off parapros, bus drivers, and other school staff who have daily contact with our children. She still works behind the scenes to fight for compensation for our Board Certified teachers. She’s got guts.

Ms. Learnard’s involvement in Peachtree City did not start this campaign season. It has been well underway since I first met her 10 years ago. She has been outspoken against big boxes. She has been outspoken against legislative nonsense like the proposed ban on car tags from out of state universities.

She worked tirelessly for one year, finally convincing Peachtree City to take action against perpetrators of an illegal digging project located right on the fringes of Lake Peachtree, our drinking water source. I have worked with her on Lake Peachtree issues for nearly 10 years.

She is passionate and outspoken, so there may have been times when you may have disagreed with her position on a given issue. But Kim Learnard has shown repeatedly that she cares, she works hard, and she is willing to take on the difficult tasks. She is a person of common sense and integrity, and this is the kind of person we need on City Council.

Tim Therrell

Chairman, Lake Peachtree Association

Peachtree City, Ga.

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