Four candidates are vying for two seats on the Flowery Branch City Council on Nov. 6, which means at least one new face on the council.
Craig Lutz and incumbent Jim Herold are in a race for Post 1, while Kellin Dobbs and Chris Fetterman compete for Post 2.
With three Sterling on the Lake residents and three former military men running for city council, there will be not only at least one new person on the council, but also at least one Sterling on the Lake resident holding a seat as well.
"I'd like to see a fresh face ... and that will probably give us a new perspective having someone from Sterling on the Lake on the council," Flowery Branch Mayor Diane Hirling said.
The only city council incumbent running in this election is Herold, a four-year Flowery Branch city councilman. A Flowery Branch resident for nearly 14 years, the retired grandfather served in the U.S. Army for six years and spent much of his working life as a manufacturing plant engineer. He has now been retired for more than three years and said that he would like to see the projects that he has helped to initiate as a current council member come to fruition during a second term on city council.
His opponent for post one, Lutz, said that his was one of the first families to move into the Sterling on the Lake subdivision nearly three years ago. Lutz was enlisted in the U.S. Air Force for several years, where he worked on microwave satellite communications. The father of two children continues to work in the communications field and said that while working in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, he learned of the importance of city government and realized that it affects the individual probably more than the office of the president.
Dobbs seeks Post 2, and said that he was born and raised in Hall County. He has been living in Sterling on the Lake for more than two years and is father of two children. Dobbs worked in sales with the Atlanta Hardwood Corp. for many years, but left sales three years ago to pursue his interest in real estate. He said that he would like to give Sterling on the Lake residents a voice in city government.
Fetterman is running against Dobbs for Post 2, and was born in upstate New York. He moved to Sterling on the Lake in July 2005 and has two children. He was in the U.S. Army for more than seven years and served during the Gulf War. He has been working as a district manager for Waste Management for nine years. Fetterman said that he would like to improve transportation in the Flowery Branch area so that it may be more navigable and accessible.
Hirling said that since the three remaining members of the city council not participating in this election vote similarly, the two seats won on the council are not likely to influence great change in Flowery Branch.
"We want to continue with quality growth," Hirling said. "No matter who gets in, I think I can work with them."
Kellin Dobbs
Age: 41
Residence: 7635 Tenspeed Court
Occupation: Developer
Personal: Married to
Kimberly Dobbs, two children
Political experience: none
Religious affiliation: Christian
Chris Fetterman
Age: 36
Residence: 7859 Benchmark Drive
Occupation: District Manager for Waste Management
Personal: Married to Stacy Fetterman, two children
Political experience: none
Religious affiliation: Pentecostal
Jim Herold
Age: 66
Residence: 5615 Church St.
Occupation: Retired
Personal: Not married, two children
Political experience: four years on Flowery Branch City Council
Religious affiliation: declined to answer
Craig Lutz
Age: 39
Residence: 8072 Sleepy Lagoon Way
Occupation: Manager with AT&T
Personal: Married to Shanon Lutz, two children
Political experience: none
Religious affiliation: Non-denominational Pentecostal