By Samantha Sinclair
Staff Writer
Editor’s note: The Franklin County Citizen Leader submitted questions to each candidate running for city offices in the Nov. 2 election.
The questions were: 1. Please provide information about your background, education, past service in government or with community organizations, church and family. 2. What qualities and/or qualifications do you feel will serve you best in the position you seek? 3. What are your plans if you are elected to the position? 4. Lavonia is becoming a popular location for new housing developments. What should the city do to prepare and manage that growth? 5. If you had a chance to speak one-on-one with each registered voter in Lavonia, what would you say to secure his or her vote?
Candidates were welcomed to respond to the questions any way they wished.
Their answers were then used to write the profile stories below.
Michael Schulman
Michael Schulman said he’s here to serve the citizens of Lavonia, and he’d like to continue serving as a city councilman.
“I intend to continue working with the mayor and my fellow council members to address the housing needs, commercial growth, small business support and downtown revitalization,” Schulman said. “During the next four years, we also need to continue to develop plans for the bypass and updating of infrastructure. I also want to continue the development of our city park into a destination that families will be able to enjoy year-round, including a splash pad, pavilion and remodeling of tennis courts.”
Schulman has a bachelor’s degree in communications, and retired from the Lavonia Police Department after 18 years in law enforcement.
He now works as the security manager for St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital and owns two small businesses — Michael’s Vending and Back the Blue Signs.
He and his wife, Kelley Whitworth Schulman, have two children, Madison and Zane.
He has worked as a volunteer for many different charities, and served on the board of directors for the Opportunity House and Habitat for Humanity.
He believes the investigative skills he gained during his law enforcement service allow him to fully see issues facing the city, and give him the judgment skills to make informed decisions.
He also has two years of experience on the council, which he said has has helped him understand how to work with others in the city government to accomplish goals.
He noted the council has accomplished “a lot of positive things” for the city during his service, including renovations on the park, addition of cameras for citizen safety, updates of the police patrol fleet, pay increases and improved retirement benefits for city employees, as well as helping navigate the city through the pandemic.
To prepare and manage the growth of housing developments, Schulman said council must continue to examine the city’s codes and ordinances to be sure they are sufficient and guard the city from “less than desirable developers.”
“We have worked with several developers over the last two years to address the housing needs of our city,” Schulman said. “Currently we have two apartment complexes, 40 townhomes and around 30 houses in development.”
He believes that in his more than 20 years of service to the city he has built relations with both communities and businesses.
He would like voters to know that he believes in the work the council has done over the past two years, and he wants to continue that work.
“I am proud to raise my children in this great community, and I want to do my part to make Lavonia the greatest city in the world to live,” Schulman said.
Michelle Whitworth
Michelle Whitworth has served the community in various ways over the years, and now wants to give back as a member of the city council.
She serves as secretary of the Franklin County Recreation Board and on the master planning and building committee of Lavonia First Baptist Church. She is a certified E911 dispatcher who worked at the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and E911 for Franklin County.
A graduate of Franklin County High School, Whitworth attended Athens Technical College and earned status as Georgia Board of Dentistry Expanded Duty Dental Assistant. She has worked at Lavonia Laser Dentistry for 17 years.
Whitworth’s husband, Chad, is a lifelong resident of Lavonia and is a decorated combat veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. They have four sons, Jake, Drew, Will and Brody.
She hopes to “bridge the gap” between the government and the community.
“I have listened to the concerns of all our neighbors, and it is not a level playing field. Everyone doesn’t get heard,” Whitworth said. “I am inquisitive and I ask questions. I am real with everyone.”
If elected, she wants to preserve downtown and work to support the Lavonia Downtown Development Authority to fill buildings with better business opportunities.
“We have a great start at cleaning our beautiful city, and I want to work with our departments to maintain that,” Whitworth said.
To prepare for and manage growth coming to Lavonia in new housing developments, Whitworth said the city first needs to evaluate the aging infrastructure of utilities to support the growth, instead of being reactive.
“We need a plan to be proactive,” Whitworth said. “We certainly need more housing, not just for future growth, but realistic housing for our citizens currently that puts the current economy in perspective. There needs to be a healthy balance.”
She asked voters to give her the opportunity to be a voice for all citizens.
“We, as a whole community, should be diligently working together to strengthen our unity, ensure our businesses are stable, and bring in new growth,” Whitworth said. “I believe the mayor and council have done a good job. I think by adding some diversity it will increase the value of our discussions to further benefit our city.”