Candidates for Mayor 2025

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1.  Tell us about your political experience:   While I may not have a traditional political background, I have been actively engaged in our local government. I was the driving force behind the recall effort for our current mayor, Joe Thomas, and have regularly attended council meetings, where I’ve spoken on several occasions to advocate for our community. My professional background is in business, and I strongly believe that the skills I've developed—such as leadership, strategic planning, and fiscal responsibility—translate well into the political arena. A successful businesswoman can absolutely be a successful politician, and I’m ready to bring that same drive and determination to public service.

2.  Give us some information about your background:   I have over 22 years of experience as a bookkeeper, during which I was responsible for managing and balancing budgets of up to $20 million. My expertise includes gross profits, profit margins, and income-to-debt ratios—skills that are critical for responsible financial oversight. In 2000, I launched my first landscaping business, followed by an apothecary company in 2005. In 2015, I founded Amanda’s Farm to Fork, which began as a farm-based venture in Lula and later expanded into a full-service restaurant in downtown Lula. After five successful years, we outgrew our space and made the decision to grow further. 

Today, my husband and I proudly own and operate Amanda’s Farm to Fork at The Tea Room, located at our wedding venue in Cleveland. What began as a local food concept has now grown into a thriving business that includes a wedding venue, tea room, restaurant, and a culinary school. 

My background reflects a lifelong commitment to hard work, community, and smart business growth—qualities I’m ready to bring into public service.

3.  What made you want to run for Mayor?   I have a servant’s heart and a deep love for our community. I’ve lived here for over 30 years, raised my children here, and now I’m watching my grandchildren grow up here as well. This town is home—and it matters to me.

However, I’m not satisfied with the direction our small town is currently heading. I believe we are at a pivotal point, and my desire is to work closely with our residents to ease the growing pains we’re facing. I want to help guide our community with clear vision and purpose, ensuring that as we grow, we stay true to the values and spirit that make this town so special.

4.  How important are relationships with the Hall County and Banks County Commissions, the Chamber of Commerce and local business people?   Because Lula is split between Hall and Banks counties, maintaining strong, collaborative relationships with both county commissions is absolutely essential. We need open communication and partnership to make decisions that benefit all of Lula, not just one side of the county line.  

Our Chamber of Commerce plays a vital role in helping businesses grow, thrive, and reach their full potential. Supporting and working with the Chamber is key to strengthening our local economy and keeping Lula vibrant.

Local businesses are the backbone of our town. Without them, our community risks

losing its identity and energy. People won’t visit—or stay in—a town that has nothing to offer. While some may be hesitant about growth, the reality is that our businesses need support and purpose to keep going. Local government plays a critical role in creating an environment where business owners feel encouraged, valued, and empowered to succeed.

5.  What do you like most about Lula today?  What I love most about Lula is the community. I’ve lived here for most of my adult life, and I’ve witnessed firsthand the way our town comes together—whether it’s in times of sadness, to celebrate moments of joy, or to support one another during times of need.  

Lula has a unique spirit. It’s a place where neighbors care for each other, where small-town values still matter, and where people are encouraged to be their best selves. I’ve watched our town grow and thrive, and through it all, that strong sense of community has remained at the heart of who we are.

6.  What do you see are the biggest issues facing Lula in the next 5 years?   The biggest issue facing Lula over the next five years is infrastructure. We are growing—both within our city and all around us—at an alarming rate. And with that growth comes serious concerns that I know many in our community share. 

How will our roads handle the increased traffic? What about our water and sewer systems — are they prepared for the demand? And what impact will this have on our schools and the quality of life for our residents?

These are real, pressing questions. As a community, we need to be proactive, not

reactive. We must plan wisely and work together to ensure that development doesn't overwhelm us, but instead aligns with a vision that protects Lula’s identity while supporting healthy, sustainable growth.

7.   What do you see are the biggest issues facing Lula in the next 10 years?  Whether it's 5 years, 10 years, or 15 years down the road, the biggest issue Lula faces is the same: growth. It’s coming—and in many ways, it's already here.  We have a choice. We can get ahead of it by building a strong, thoughtful structure that fits our town’s unique needs and values, or we risk being overwhelmed by uncontrolled development. If we don’t act with intention, we may find ourselves losing the very things that make Lula such a special place to live.  

Our challenge is to manage growth in a way that strengthens our infrastructure, supports local businesses, and protects our small-town identity—so that Lula can thrive for generations to come.

8.  Would you support establishing and funding a police department for the City?   While I do believe an increased police presence in Lula is needed, I feel it is more practical and fiscally responsible to continue utilizing the services offered by Hall County. Starting and maintaining our own city police department would come with a significant cost—one that would almost certainly require raising city taxes.  

Many residents are already feeling the burden of rising county taxes, and I believe most would not support an additional layer of taxation. My priority is to keep our community safe while also being mindful of our budget. Strengthening our partnership with Hall County to ensure adequate law enforcement coverage is a smarter, more sustainable solution at this time.

9.  What else would you like for people to know about you?  I’m a praying woman, and when things get tough, I don’t hesitate to stop and ask God for wisdom and direction. My faith grounds me, and it's a big part of how I approach both life and leadership.  

I deeply love my family, and I’m blessed with a wide circle of friends — many of whom I’ve had for decades. Relationships matter to me.  Food is my love language. When I’m working through something difficult, you’ll probably find me cooking enough to feed an army—it’s how I process and care. And if you’re struggling, you can count on me to show up with a full heart and full hands. That’s just who I am.

1.  Tell us about your political experience:  I have been involved in local government as I was appointed to the Comprehensive Plan Update, Steering Committee for the 2022/2023 year. I am a current member of the Lula Planning Commission serving a 4-year commitment. I have stayed apprised of what is going on in Lula through monthly council meetings.

2.  Give us some information about your background:   I have a loving, Christ centered wife, Katrina, and together we have 2 sons, Brandon and Blake. We have a total of 7 grandchildren ranging from 1yrs to 15yrs. We attend Airline Baptist Church in Gainesville where I also serve as a Deacon and Gideon with the local Hall East camp. We have called Lula home for more than 23 years and love this city and the community as we have raised our children here and now our grandchildren as well.  I have been in the transportation/logistics industry for over 35 years from driving trucks, working on trucks, training new drivers to as well as being an examiner for the state to license new CDL drivers. I have managed several trucking companies in and around the Gainesville area and I currently I serve as a safety manager for a large trucking company that serves Kubota and several other companies in Northeast Georgia with their transportation needs. 

3.  What made you want to run for Mayor?  I made the decision to run for Mayor because I see a need to mend relationships within our community as well as outside the community. Our city faces many challenges in the coming years with growth, crime, housing and traffic. I seek to work with local government (Hall County, Banks County) to find solutions to meet these challenges head on for the betterment of the citizens of Lula. I will strive to listen to our local business owners and their needs as well as listen to our citizens with their needs. I want to focus on our future and community as I will work to promote safety, security and open doors within our community.  Lula is and always has been a great city with a small town feel and I want to continue that.

4.  How important are relationships with the Hall County and Banks County Commissions, the Chamber of Commerce and local business people? I believe that relationships with Hall County/ Banks County Commissions are of the utmost importance as we need to work with them to find the best possible solutions to combat the increased growth, traffic and safety for the citizens of Lula. The future holds several challenges that are going to require partnerships with Hall and Banks counties that I will work to cultivate.  I think the Lula should be involved in the Chamber of Commerce and I will attend every meeting possible to promote Lula and work with the Chamber.  I believe that our local businesses are an untapped resource for information. Our small businesses need to have the support of the Mayor and Council to be able to promote themselves and have the ability to market themselves. I will sit down with each business and listen to their concerns and work to find viable solutions for them.  Our local businesses need to have a say in the development of our downtown area as there are many factors that affect them.

5.  What are some things you like most about Lula today? I like the small town feel that Lula provides. I love the feel of community when we have our festivals and way the city comes together. Our wellness park offers people the opportunity to exercise in the shade and with the addition of new sidewalks, make it easier to access. The small-town atmosphere is one that has gone from most small towns as growth has overtaken them. With the growth that Lula is expecting in the coming years I would like to see more community events that promote our local businesses as well as our small-town feel. I love that you can walk around Lula and be able to do so without much worry. 

6.  What do you see are the biggest issues facing Lula in the next 5 years? In the next 5 years Lula is set to see extraordinary growth with new subdivisions within the city as well as outside the city as well as the opening of the inland port. With the opening of the inland port, we will also be faced with increased train traffic. I will work with the railroad to find the best way possible to find a solution to having our crossings blocked so regularly. The crossings being blocked create emergency response issues if there was ever to be one and working with the railroad would be something I would work immediately.  Our traffic is of great concern as we move forward as is our infrastructure. Our city needs to focus on updating our infrastructure and to do so we need the relationship with Hall and Banks County to be able to facilitate this need. The SPLOST that is to be voted on this year needs to pass as this is a revenue stream for the City of Lula that helps fund certain projects. With growth will come increased safety issues for our community and we will need to work with the Hall County Sheriff’s dept and GDOT to develop a plan to combat these issues. I feel that over the next 5 years we will be able to face these challenges if we build the relationships needed to help solve these problems together. I believe in a proactive approach to problems as opposed to a reactive approach.

7.   What do you see are the biggest issues facing Lula in the next 10 years? Over the next 10 years I feel the biggest issue facing Lula is growth, traffic and crime. We have seen an increase in our traffic over just the last couple of years with dump trucks, trash trucks and tractor trailer traffic as truckers look to avoid I85 and take alternate routes to get to Gainesville and Atlanta. With the opening of the inland port in the next year we will see an increase in truck traffic that will not only cause traffic issues but road maintenance issues. With even more homes needing to be built, we will also see an increase in infrastructure needs such as water supply. We have an aging infrastructure that needs to be addressed very soon and over the next 10 years many of the water lines will need replacement.  Crime is an increasing issue, and if it is not addressed now will become even more difficult to combat in the next 10 years. The citizens of Lula deserve to feel safe and secure and know that when they call for help in a situation, that help will arrive in a timely manner.

8.  Would you support establishing and funding a police department for the City? I do support the idea of funding a police department as Hall County Sheriff’s are spread thin and response times are high. There is unfortunately a large cost associated with funding a new police dept and I would look to other cities our size that have funded one to learn how they were able to do so. I would also investigate obtaining grants that would help offset the costs. It would be my desire to be able to find funding pipelines without having to enact a city tax to pay for it. Safety for the citizens of Lula is of the utmost importance to me.

9.  What else would you like for people to know about you? I am an honest and trustworthy individual that is rooted in my faith in Jesus Christ. I believe in listening to problems and finding viable solutions to those problems without jumping to conclusions. I think that every citizen should have an opportunity to be heard regardless of affiliation to any one side. I believe in community, and I believe in Lula. I look forward to having the opportunity to serve the citizens of Lula with honesty, integrity, respect and compassion for one another. I am a straight forward kind of person and work for the people of Lula.