Michelle Ray for Commissioner Post 4

At the close of March, we initiated contact with all Paulding County candidates, extending an invitation for them to address common questions posed by the community. Enclosed are their unaltered responses to these inquiries, providing insight into their respective stances. While not all candidates opted to participate, we believe that understanding their viewpoints is pivotal in making informed decisions as constituents.

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Michelle Ray’s ANSWERS

1. Can you please introduce yourself and share a bit about your background? I’m Michelle Ray, and my heart has been planted in Paulding County since moving here from Smyrna in 1999. I have two daughters: one, a dedicated nurse; the other, a spine clinic professional, both loving mothers to my four wonderful grandchildren. Raising my daughters in South Paulding, and now living in North Paulding, my commitment to our community is rooted in family. My daughter, along with my brother’s family, and my parents, who recently marked their 64th wedding anniversary and have been residents here for over twenty years, all embrace Paulding as home. This isn’t just a county to me; it’s a part of who I am.
2. What motivated you to run for the position of Post 4 Commissioner? I read a quote about stepping up and making a difference and not sitting on the sideline, and that resonated with me. I felt like it was time to do just that and run for Post 4 Commissioner. My family lives in this county, and I care and want to continue helping it be a great place to live. 
3. What is your stance on the development of rental communities in Paulding County? I don’t like it. I will do my best to work with the county manager and the other commissioners to understand what we can do to put stipulations in or how we can make it less cost effective for developers, for the rental communities specifically. 
4. What specific strategies do you propose to ease the strain of overcrowded schools in our district? I will get with the school board and understand how I can support their plan while also being a voice and concern of our Post 4 community. For the upcoming school year, Burnt Hickory has 2 additions that will be ready for use. North Paulding’s 3 story, 40 classroom addition will be ready and the Seven Hills Middle School Project is projected to open August 2024.
5. Given the shortage of law enforcement personnel, what strategies do you propose to address the lack of police presence and ensure public safety in Paulding County? I will work with the new sheriff to understand their plan and how I can support it, as well as address the pay, retirement/pension, lowering the retirement age for first responders and the budget. 
6. Balancing the needs of residents with development demands can be challenging. What approach will you take to achieve this balance? Moving forward from today I cannot do anything with what has been passed before, but I can try to ensure we are doing the best for the community based on the infrastructure, schools and development. With the growing pains of Post 4, we are behind at this point. My goal will be to catch up and prioritize schools and infrastructure, and the needs of Post 4.  
7. What measures will you implement to ensure growth and development occur responsibly? The Paulding County Joint Comprehensive Plan 2022-2032 outlines this, and I plan to follow it and ask for amendments to the plan as needed.
8. Could you outline your strategy for tackling traffic congestion and improving road infrastructure within our district? As I mentioned above, the Comprehensive Plan has this laid out and I will see it through. 
9. How important do you consider preserving green spaces and natural areas within our community, and what steps will you take to uphold this? The current commissioners have done a fantastic job with showing how important these are and creating additional ones. We have so many great wildlife management areas, parks and recreation, and I’ll be sure to uphold any policies that protect these areas and implement them as needed. I am looking forward to the Richland Creek welcome center and the recreational activities, this will be amazing for our Post 4 community! 
10. How do you plan to engage with community members to gather feedback and address their concerns effectively? This is very important to me and a question that I have answered in depth. To encourage community collaboration in development ideas, a great opportunity to facilitate this would be to join forces with an existing organization called Paulding County Economic Development. This organization already has a fantastic group of people behind it and some of the board members are from various commissioner posts, except Post 4. As Post 4 Commissioner, I would aim to collaborate with this organization, developing a community-led group within, dedicated to blending traditional and modern ways to engage with the community. We would organize in-person meetings and utilize QR codes in public spaces like parks, libraries, and schools to inform and involve the community, allowing them to voice concerns and feedback about our county’s development. Additionally, an online platform would support ongoing participation and growth. Regular updates and monthly meetings would ensure everyone’s concerns and suggestions are voiced in shaping Paulding County’s development path, across each post and the county at large.
11. How do you plan to attract and retain young professionals and families in Paulding County, ensuring a vibrant and dynamic community for future generations? By addressing economic growth in Post 4, we can focus on attracting and retaining high-quality jobs. These jobs not only boost local employment but also draw people from surrounding counties, increasing retail spending and tax revenue in our community. Community and government leaders predicted Costco to be “an essential role in creation of badly-needed local jobs in a county with up to 80% of its employed residents leaving Paulding to work.” Reflecting on the 2019 initiative, Paulding County invested half a million dollars to develop Costco’s site, highlighting a commitment to economic development. We can use similar tactics to attract more businesses to our community, just as before with Costco. In turn this will keep Paulding County a desirable county to work, live, and raise a family in.  https://pauldingdevelopment.org/costco-and-greystone…/
12. Can you provide examples of successful leadership experiences that demonstrate your ability to effectively manage complex issues and lead change in a community setting? The best example of that is in my corporate experience. I was rolling out a new system to store associates and had to go store to store to ensure they understood how to use it, how it benefited them and how to move it forward. I enjoyed getting into the nitty gritty, and explaining why this implementation would benefit them in the long run, and received lots of positive feedback from the people I worked with on this system change. 
13. How do you perceive the current state of Paulding County, and what is your vision for the future of our community? Please outline specific goals and initiatives you would prioritize to realize this vision, considering factors such as economic development. I perceive Paulding county is behind the times of people who want to move here and lacks the infrastructure for the current state of our community. The number of people who want to move here is way beyond the number we planned for. How I will catch up is by working with the BOC to support infrastructure, the school board and first responders. Also, adhering, and adjusting as needed, to the 2032 plan will be crucial in addressing these issues effectively.
14. In what ways do you intend to support local businesses and foster economic growth within our district? By helping navigate the obstacles that current businesses face and the roadblocks that they face with zoning and expansion. 
15. Transparency and accountability are essential in local government. What measures will you implement to ensure these principles are upheld? I will make sure the community knows what is coming up and going on, as well as what has been passed and getting the information out to my constituents. I want them to be informed, just as I mentioned in question 11. The community should be able to search and find documentation on the Paulding County website, and have it be where you can go find any information on the past, present and future approvals, just as we can view past meetings and watch them live. 
16. How will you ensure fair and equitable representation for all residents of the area? I will make sure my constituents have the information to participate. I will make sure you know when the meetings are and know what the agenda is so that we can work together to be sure your voice is heard.
17. Could you outline your plan for maintaining stable property tax rates, especially in the face of economic fluctuations? Based on Brian Stover’s answer at the Republican Women’s Forum the other night, it was mentioned that the tax rate has been reduced year over year. Additionally, House Bill 581 was passed, which will allow each Georgia county to implement a statewide homestead valuation freeze. This will directly play a hand in maintaining stable tax rates that will not be affected by the economic climate. 
18. How will you ensure tax dollars are utilized efficiently and effectively for the benefit of the community? I will continue to uphold the management of the budget, as the previous and current commissioners have done well. 
19. How do you plan to encourage economic growth and job creation to alleviate inflationary pressures on residents? a) My approach to Smart Growth in Post 4 focuses on attracting and retaining high-quality jobs to boost local employment and economic development. By drawing people from surrounding counties, we can increase retail spending and tax revenue in our community. To make Paulding an attractive place for both established and new businesses, creating a competitive environment through incentives, collaborative efforts with businesses, and the development of supportive infrastructure will be a way to accomplish this. b) To measure the effectiveness of these initiatives, I will use the following metrics: 1) Job Growth: Track the increase in high-quality job opportunities in the area, aiming for a measurable rise in employment rates. 2) Business Growth: Monitor the number of new companies established in Paulding or existing businesses that move operations to Paulding County. 3) Tax Revenue: Evaluate the growth in tax revenues as a direct result of new and expanding businesses, which reflects the overall economic health of our community. 4) Additionally, sales tax revenue from new businesses opened during my tenure will serve as a tangible indicator of economic activity and growth. c) In my role as a Post 4 Commissioner, I will also leverage my position to influence local economic development boards such as the Industrial Building Authority (IBA) or the airport board. By appointing a knowledgeable and business-savvy member to one of these boards, I can ensure that development strategies align with my Smart Growth objectives. Through these targeted actions and measurable outcomes, I believe we can achieve a future where growth benefits all residents of Post 4 and all of Paulding County.
20. What steps will you take to ensure that public infrastructure, such as roads and utilities, keep pace with the demands of population growth and development? I’m committed to leveraging the 2022-2032 plan to keep our infrastructure aligned with our growth. That means regular assessments and focusing on critical areas like roads and utilities. By staying proactive, I’ll ensure our community’s needs are met as we continue to develop and expand.
21. Additionally, we invite you to share any closing thoughts or insights you believe are important for the community to know. I would like to know what your concerns are as a member of our Post 4 community. As you can see from my answers, my goal is to make sure that everybody that wants to know what is going on, knows. My commitment to transparency and advocating for our community’s voice is my top priority. Your input helps shape our vision for a better Paulding County, ensuring Post 4 remains a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family for generations to come.

For further insight into Michelle Ray’s platform and initiatives, please visit her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/michelleray4commissioner or explore her website at https://www.michelleray4commissioner.com/