Angela Bean of Fayetteville is the first to announce publicly her intention to run for the District 5 seat on the Fayette County Board of Commissioners.
A 32-year resident of Fayette County, she announced her candidacy last week, citing her experience in various forms of community service and her desire to “carry on where Commissioner [Pota] Coston left off, ensuring that everyone, regardless of who they are or what they look like, is heard and well represented.”
The District 5 seat is vacant due to the July 3 death of Coston, who served six months after winning last November’s election.
Bean informed The Citizen that she would be eligible for the District 5 race regardless of which map is used for the special election.
Coston won her race with district voting based on a 2014 map drawn by order of a federal judge whose summary judgment in an NAACP lawsuit over district voting was overturned in January by an appellate court.
The Fayette County Board of Elections called for the special election which by law would use at-large voting and the 2012 district map, but an injunction was filed and Federal Judge Timothy Batten, Jr. stepped in via an injunction and ordered the vote be confined to the same district lines as last year. (See Page A1 story on the injunction.)
Volunteer work in the local school system and with Girl Scouts were among the activities Bean listed on her community service resume, along with Christian City Children’s Village, Fayette Senior Services, the American Legion and the Peachtree City Farmers Market.
“Through those experiences, I got to know our local families of all walks of life, developing friendships and building a sense of community,” she stated. “Building a rapport with local leaders and community citizens helped me assist organizations that contribute to the character and quality of life of our community.”
On the political side, Bean has been an active member of the Fayette County Republican Party as well as the state GOP committee, communicating with elected officials on the city, county and state levels on a regular basis. She served as a Fayette GOP liaison for federal and state legislation, which “has reinforced my commitment to giving all citizens a voice in a system that is generally geared toward serving special interests,” she stated. “Advocating for common sense, balanced budgets and openness initiatives is nothing new to me.”
Citing what she calls “a proven track record of taking stands on accountability and fiscal responsibility in government,” Bean pledged to listen to all county citizens and ensure that each one has a voice.
“We have a great thing going in Fayette County,” she said. “I will fight to preserve those things that make us a special place to live.”
