Milton Elections Guide 2019: Candidates Plan To Keep City Rural

MILTON, GA — The Milton City Council election will take place Nov. 5. Incumbents District 1, Post 2 Councilwoman Carol Cookerly and District 3, Post 2 Councilman Rick Mohrig are unopposed. Residents Judy Burds and Paul Moore will vie for Milton City Council District 2, Post 2.

Patch has invited each candidate in contested races to participate in our election profile series. We will continue to update this story with links to responses to our questionnaire.

Part one of the candidate questionnaire dives into who the candidates are, why they want to run and what their long and short term goals are. Check back next week for what they say is the biggest issue that the city faces, how they want to combat that and why people should vote for them.

Who's Running?

District 1, Post 2: Councilwoman Carol Cookerly (incumbent)

District 3, Post 2: Councilman Rick Mohrig (incumbent)

District 2, Post 2:

Judy Burds www.Burds4Milton.com

Paul Moore www.mooreformilton.com

Question 1: Can you give me some background on yourself?

Judy Burds: I was raised in Iowa as the youngest of four children, to parents who ran a small business in the farming industry. They instilled in me a work ethic and understanding of how government and small business can work together for the betterment of a community.
I earned a BS in engineering from Iowa State and an MBA from Georgia State. I have over 30 years of experience in finance, operations and engineering. Professionally, I worked at a civil engineering firm, then spent most of my career at AT&T managing large teams working on complex projects and as a senior manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers. My forte was bringing improvements and cost savings to new or fragmented processes. I’d like to bring this real-world business experience to our city government. In my spare time, I enjoy golfing, volunteering, and you may find me and my rescue dog, Reebok, walking at Birmingham Park or Bell Memorial Park.

Paul Moore: I have called Milton home for 22 years. Since putting down our roots in 1997, I have been an active neighbor, community advocate, and civil servant. My wife, Kathy, and I raised our three children here, and all three graduated from Milton High School. When I am not busy advocating for Milton’s rural character, I enjoy spending time with my four grandchildren. In addition to being a husband, father, grandfather and dedicated civic volunteer, I am employed by Midland Communications as Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives. I am currently leading a project to facilitate the life and safety communication platform for the US market entry of the world’s largest offshore wind energy provider. I hold a BA in international relations and political science from the University of Wisconsin.

Question 2: Why did you want to run for city council?

Judy Burds: I was motivated to run for city council because I believe that Milton needs a fresh and independent perspective on council. My financial and engineering background will help me offer new approaches to the issues we face as a community. I offer proven leadership skills, a knowledge of local issues and a commitment to open government. After engaging in our government process for some time, I am qualified to help our government find ways to rethink spending and to reduce taxes while improving services deemed important by our citizens. I believe in results and accountability.

Paul Moore: I have gained valuable experience during my 13-year tenure on the planning commission, and I am now prepared to offer my service and commitment to the community as a council member. Our city is at a critical crossroads; unprecedented growth requires experienced leadership. Milton must be wisely governed with a keen focus on balancing growth with the principles on which Milton was founded. I will work to further align the community’s vision with critical policy and strategy decisions that come before the council. As always, I will continue to prioritize ways to preserve Milton’s unique “sense of place;” a goal that unites our community.

Question 3: What are your short term and long term goals for the position?

Judy Burds:

Short term:

• Work with our talented city staff to implement a customer-centered approach to process improvements
• Evaluate funding requests and potential sources of income before setting tax levels
• Listen to concerns of diverse constituents while increasing transparency of decision making

Long term:

• Proactively plan for the impact that surrounding GDOT projects will have on traffic patterns through our city
• Drive consistency and predictability in land use plans and decisions, helping to preserve property values while keeping Milton’s rural charm

Paul Moore:

1. To ensure Milton retains its unique “sense of place,” it is critical that we strictly adhere to the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. I have a longstanding record of supporting the Plan.
2. As our city has grown and surrounding communities have added congestion, we must address traffic issues. I was an early advocate for roundabouts and strategic placement of additional turn lanes to reduce wait times. Careful administration of TSPLOST funds is vital to achieving additional traffic calming goals.
3. Park land; let’s get our new passive parkland open with walking/hiking trails, and make a strategic land purchase to support the needed expansion of active sports land.

Question 4: What is your favorite part of living in Milton?

Judy Burds: The people of Milton are our biggest asset. I love meeting and working with friends and neighbors – whether through my volunteer work at the Friends of Milton Library, Southern Magnolia Charities, on the golf course, or just enjoying a coffee. I find that we have more in common than our differences, and I look forward to serving the kind and generous people of Milton and to working with fellow city council members to find solutions to the issues facing our community.

Paul Moore: My favorite part of living in Milton are its people, and that is not just a politically correct answer. Meeting and engaging a wide spectrum of our community and having a chance to represent their voice is very rewarding. It has been my pleasure to help shape the direction of our city and I take great pride in the outcome that has generated such a special place to live. Our neighbors, Milton’s citizens, are our greatest asset.