Residents in two Cherokee cities have vacancies on their respective city councils to fill. Both Woodstock and Nelson will be holding special elections Sept. 21.
The special election to fill the seat soon-to-be vacated by Woodstock City Councilman Steve Faris (Ward 6) will be held on Sept. 21 at the Woodstock public library, located on Main Street, officials decided last week.
The city had three choices for the special election, including holding it on Sept. 21, at a cost of $8,000 or holding it Nov. 2. The city could conduct the election separate from the statewide election on Nov. 2, at a cost of $8,000; or host it at county precincts on the Nov. 2 election at a cost $8,000 plus an estimated $4,000 to $5,000 cost to mail out voter registration cards. If a special election was to be held at county precincts, the city would have had to mail the cards to registered voters notifying them of a change in their municipal election precinct.
The city council approved taking the least costly option, which would not require residents to vote in two different locations the same day, with a 5-0 vote. Ward 1 Councilman Randy Brewer was absent.
Anyone who lives in Ward 6, which includes the Deer Run subdivision and several neighboring communities, and wishes to serve the remainder of Faris’ term, which ends Dec. 31, 2011, must qualify in the city clerk’s office, located at the Woodstock Annex on Ga. 92, Aug. 30-Sept. 1. The qualifying fee is $270.
Voters in Nelson must fill two seats on the Nelson City Council next month. The election will be held at the Pickens County Board of Elections and Registration Office, 1266 E. Church St., Ste. 165, Jasper, on Sept. 21.
Two people have qualified to fill the seat of the late Willie Pye, who died of a heart attack after a house fire in May. The term for the seat held by Pye expires in 2013.
Nelson residents Paul Feldman and Thad Thacker qualified for the seat and will face each other in the September election, according to City Manager Brandy Edwards.
Thacker, 63, is retired from the construction engineering and surveying industry. He has lived in Nelson on and off for more than 30 years, originally coming to the town with his parents when he was 5 years old. He left Nelson, only to return, about 10 years ago when his mother died.
Thacker, a divorcee, has one son, Thad Thacker III, and two granddaughters, Juniper, 8, and Lily Rose, 2. He is not immediately related to current councilwoman, Penny Thacker.
He said serving on the city council is something he’s had his eye on.
“It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while and something I see that needs to be done at the present time,” he said.
Feldman, 64, who also qualified for the seat, said he wants to serve the residents of the city like the late two councilmen had.
“In the last few months, two of our long-term city councilmen have passed away,” said Feldman, who has lived in Nelson for 14 years. “I would like to join the council and try to follow the example of Councilmen Pye and Ingram in finding ways to support our city.”
Feldman has been married to his wife, Brenda, for 43 years. They have two adult children and one grandson. He retired from BellSouth/AT&T in the Atlanta area in 2008 after working there for 38 years. He currently works for Ericsson as a technical sales manager.
Three residents have qualified for the seat previously held by the late Jim Ingram, who lost his battle with cancer in July.
Steven Thacker, Phillip Pettitt and Martha Tipton qualified to fill the remainder of Ingram’s term, which expires in 2011. Pettitt did not return calls for comment, and several calls to Tipton’s homes were unanswered. Tipton, Nelson officials said, is Ingram’s daughter.
Steven Thacker, 28, said he chose to qualify because he’d like to see Nelson become a better place to live, and he believes he can bring fresh and new ideas.
“I feel like bringing someone young and proactive with good morals behind it (is a good idea),” he said.
Steven Thacker is the son of the Councilwoman Thacker.
Steven Thacker, who has lived in Nelson on and off, has one step-son, Caswell Smith, 9, one daughter, Blakeley, 23 months, and one son, Channing, 4 months. He and his wife, Amber, have been married for two-and-a-half years.
He is a partner in Thacker & Bliss Construction, based in Canton.
