Peachtree City's

former city clerk has formally announced her candidacy for a seat on the

City Council.

Nancy Faulkner,

35, is currently the city clerk in Fairburn. She is running for the seat

currently held by Steve Rapson, who has also said he will run for that

post.

Faulkner, who

is certified as a city clerk at the state and national levels, said she

wants to see council play a more active role in guiding creation of the

budget and analyzing it year-round.

"The budget

is a living document and we should be looking at it throughout the year,"

Faulkner said.

Faulkner also

wants council to have more workshops that lean more toward council discussion

with less reliance on staff input. She also wants to solicit input from

citizens by possibly setting aside 10 or 15 minutes at the beginning of

each council meeting for citizens' comments.

Faulkner is

also concerned about the needs of unsupervised older children in the city,

particularly those 12 and over.

The city already

has plenty of programs for younger children, but the older kids are falling

through the cracks, she said. The older children need an "organized

environment" too, she said.

"Kids

between 12 and 16 need more supervision than ever," Faulkner said,

adding that she would like to see the city's Commission on Children and

Youth address these issues.

Grant funding

could be a suitable option for funding such programs since the city's

budget is tight, Faulkner said. She thinks a "teen center" is

not the solution, and although she has some ideas on the subject it will

be important to get input from others also, she said.

Faulkner also

said she doesn't think athletic programs are the solution, either. She

used her 13-year-old daughter as an example, saying she is more drawn

towards drama, arts and dance programs than athletics.

"It's

hard keeping her busy during the summer," Faulkner said. "And

I'm sure I'm not the only one with that problem."

In addition

to raising her three children and serving as Fairburn's city clerk, Faulkner

has also been busy pursuing an integrated studies degree at Clayton State

College and University focusing on government, administration and law

classes.

Faulkner resigned

from the city in March, citing changes in the position and a increased

lack of job security. In January, council appointed City Manager Jim Basinger

as clerk instead of reappointing Faulkner. The move did not change Faulkner's

job duties, but placed her under the direct supervision of Basinger; Faulkner

said after resigning that she had no problems with the arrangement.

Faulkner received

a settlement package from the city worth almost $30,000, including six

months' severance pay. City records indicated several council members

had discussed the possibility of firing Faulkner months before she wasn't

reappointed as clerk.

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