Candidate Profile: Melanie Long For Loganville City Council

LOGANVILLE — Seven city council candidates qualified for three at-large City Council seats in the Loganville Nov. 2 municipal election, which include incumbent Anne Huntsinger. Loganville Mayor Skip Baliles is running unopposed.

Terry Parsons, Shenia Rivers-Divine, Rosa D. Steele, Branden Whitfield, Melanie Long and James Wilson qualified as candidates for City Council. The three candidates who get the most votes will fill the at-large council seats.

November 2, 2021 Municipal General/Special Election sample ballots are available for review at the Georgia My Voter Page. Enter your information in order to access a personalized sample ballot.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Melanie Long is running for City Council against incumbent Anne Huntsinger and Terry Parsons, Shenia Rivers-Divine, Rosa D. Steele, Branden Whitfield, and James Wilson.

Age (as of Election Day)

55

Position Sought

City Council

Party Affiliation

City Council is a non-partisan position, so this question is irrelevant

Family

Irrelevant to the position.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Graduated from Loganville High School. Completed technical school for locksmith training. Frequently attend continuing education classes in my locksmith industry. Graduated top of my class for State Certified Private Investigation through Georgia Perimeter College.

Occupation

I have been a locksmith for 35 years. I started Lock, Stock & Barrel Locksmith Service, in downtown Loganville, 30 years ago.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Served on the Loganville Development Authority

Campaign website

https://www.facebook.com/Melanie-Long-for-City-Council-104741111911325

Why are you seeking elective office?

Having lived in Loganville for 40 years, and owning a business in Loganville for 30 years, I have always been active and involved in the city. For the last two years, the current officials sought to bring 800 apartments to our city, that was devastating to the citizens. Many citizens began to form alliances and fight for our city. From those battles, I was asked if I would continue to be a voice for the people. After much thought, I decided to run for city council. I am running to ensure that the citizens have a voice on city council, someone that will put their wishes ahead of those of developers and special interest groups.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Our failing infrastructure has to be addressed before we can begin to entertain bringing in more development. I hope to be appointed to one of the committees that are responsible for infrastructure, so I can dig in and see what we need to do in order to upgrade our aging systems.

What are your short- and long-term goals if you are elected?

I want to see the city council create and adopt architectural standards for our downtown district. I also want to have City Council set the zoning for each of the city owned properties. That way, any developer coming into Loganville will already know what they can and cannot build, before they buy a piece of city owned property.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am a 40 year resident of Loganville, and own a home a block from Main Street. I have owned and operated a business for 30 years in downtown Loganville. I have successfully dealt with the city as a citizen, and as a business owner for decades. I know how the city works with and interacts with both residents and business owners. I have been on both sides of the fence in many matters involving the city. All of that said, the biggest difference between myself and most other candidates is the fact that I stand with the citizens. Their voice will be my voice. I will have the best interest of the citizens first and foremost on my mind, in all matters we face as a council.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I think our elected officials did a fantastic job managing the pandemic. They ensured that our city employees were safe, and had the necessary supplies needed to do their jobs effectively during the difficult times. I also applaud the elected officials for listening to the citizens, and keeping things open. Loganville was one of the few cities to continue to have festivals and events. It kept the citizen's spirits up and gave them much needed engagement with other citizens during the trying times.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I served on the Loganville Development Authority that brought the LCI (Living Centers Initiative) to Loganville, over a decade ago. That was the start of revitalizing our downtown area. I have owned and operated my own company for 30 years. I am equipped to deal with people on many levels, and can always find a common ground and compromise to get the job done.

What do you like best about living in your city (or county)?

The small, hometown feel and the people I see daily. Loganville is still small enough to see people you know, everywhere you go. The people are what make Loganville, Loganville. We have a country charm and feel, all while being minutes away from anything you might need.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Find something you love to do, and you will never work a day in your life.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

My love for this city, and it's people is evident in everything I do. I coached little league basketball after graduating high school. I participate in almost every parade, festival and event. I intend to live in Loganville until I draw my last breath, so I have a tremendous interest in what happens here, and to the people.