Championing fiscal responsibility, personal accountability and government transparency, South Hall farmer and businesswoman Kathy Cooper announced Thursday her candidacy for the District 1 seat on the Hall County Board of Commissioners.

Current Commissioner Craig Lutz has announced he is vacating the post to run for a seat on the Public Service Commission this year.

“Having lived and worked in South Hall for most of my life, I feel that I have a deep understanding of the issues that face the area,” Cooper said in a press release. “We need to maintain smart growth strategies, as well as family values in our community.”

Cooper is president of her family’s farm in Chestnut Mountain, Cooper Family Enterprises. She serves on the Hall County Hospital Authority and formerly served on the board of directors at the National Bank of Gainesville.

Cooper and her husband, John, run a cattle and chicken operation in Chestnut Mountain, as well as a Christmas tree farm. They are members of Chestnut Mountain Presbyterian Church and have three children, Donnie, Tyler and Lindsey.

Cooper, a Republican, said she wants to bring leadership and diversity to the Board of Commissioners, which currently has no female representatives.

“As a business owner and woman, I bring a singular and important voice to the commission,” she said.

Cooper also addressed the many competing interests at play in District 1, which includes Flowery Branch.

“It’s important to recognize that South Hall has unique communities within the district’s borders,” Cooper said. “The needs and interests of the citizens near Lake Lanier may not be the same as those from the neighborhoods and more rural areas near Gwinnett and Jackson counties.”

As new development moves into South Hall, Cooper said she wants to ensure growth is coupled with the interests of residents.