Martha Tipton, Phillip Pettitt and Steven Thacker qualified this week for the Sept. 21 race for the seat of the late Councilman James "Jim" Ingram. The term expires Dec. 31, 2011.
Paul Feldman and Thad Thacker Jr. are facing off in the Sept. 21 election for the seat of the late Councilman Willie Pye, whose term runs through Dec. 31, 2013.
The seats are at-large, and voters citywide will decide both non-partisan races. All of the candidates are political newcomers making their first run for public office.
Mrs. Tipton, 42, the daughter of the late Ingram, said she is running to keep her father's seat in the family.
She said she wants to carry on her father's legacy of making the city residents' welfare a priority and to "make a difference in the community."
Mrs. Tipton said she is also interested in providing more recreational activities for Nelson children and maintaining an adequate police force. Starting a citywide recycling program is another goal.
While she's never served in political office, Mrs. Tipton worked for seven years at Canton City Hall.
Mrs. Tipton is a bank teller at Jasper Banking Company. She grew up in Nelson and graduated from Cherokee High School in 1986. She and her husband, John, have two children and attend Nelson Baptist Church.
Mrs. Tipton said her roots in Nelson and her commitment in working with all residents will make her a formidable councilwoman.
"I will try to make this a good city for all the residents," she added.
Pettitt, 69, also said he would like to see more recreational avenues available to the city's children. Pettitt noted the city's ball field is rarely used and "wouldn't cost the city anything" to put it to use.
He said he would like to see the city attract more festivals and musical entertainment as well.
Another goal, he said, is to see the city government become more open, transparent and efficient in its operations.
Pettitt graduated from Cherokee High School in 1958 and is retired from the construction industry. He and wife, Rene, have two adult children, including a son, who is serving the U.S. Marine Corps in Afghanistan. The Pettitts attend Gospel Temple Church in Ball Ground.
Pettitt said his quest for a seat on the council is not for his personal gain, but for the good of Nelson's citizens. He said he hoped as a councilman to get more people involved in city government.
Thacker, 28, who grew up in Nelson, said he tossed his hat into the ring because he wants to "make the city a more desirable place to live."
The son of Councilwoman Penny Thacker, Thacker said he would encourage the city to clean up more houses, which would make Nelson more appealing to newcomers and safer for children.
"I'm not trying to ride off my mom's back by no means," he said of the fact she already is on the council, adding the Thacker name is well known in Nelson.
He also wants to install lights at the city's ball field, which he said would allow Little League games to be played at night.
Thacker graduated from Pickens County High School in 2000 and attended Appalachian Technical College for two years. A licensed realtor through Georgia Prudential Realty for seven years, he is a contractor with Thacker & Bliss Construction.
Thacker has coached Little League with Canton Dizzy Dean Baseball for five years. He and his wife, Amber, have three children and attend Nelson Baptist Church.
Thacker said his background in construction and real estate will help the council with the city's future development.
Cleaning up the city, which he said would increase property values, would be a welcome sight to new and longtime residents.
"It'll make people want to stop by Nelson instead of Ball Ground and Jasper," he said.
Feldman, 63, said he decided to run to encourage the city to retain its small town atmosphere.
Feldman said he moved to the city 14 years ago because he and his wife liked its quaint feeling.
"I would like to do everything I can for it to stay that way," he said.
Feldman, who works in the telecommunications field for Ericsson, served in the Air Force for three and a half years. He earned an associate's degree in business from the former DeKalb College.
He is the president of the Laurel Lake Homeowners Association. Feldman and his wife, Brenda, have two adult children and one grandchild.
Feldman said he would be a "rational" voice on the council and would work to find "good, long-term solutions to our problems."
Thacker Jr., 63, said he decided to run because politics was something he wanted to do all his life.
"I think Nelson needs changes," he added.
He said he would like to see more recreational opportunities for the city's children and more officers patrolling the streets.
A retired field engineer in the construction industry, he served for four years in the Navy during the Vietnam War. Thacker Jr. earned his general equivalency diploma and took surveying courses at Palm Beach Junior College in Florida.
He has one adult child and two grandchildren.
Thacker Jr. said his family has been in Nelson for more than 100 years and longtime residents like him can offer a trusted voice on the council.
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