[ September 22, 2023 ] I am Lora Erdman, running for the office of Jasper Mayor, and I would like to introduce myself to those who do not know me. I also want to explain to you and to those who do know me just why I'm getting involved in Jasper politics.

First of all I am from Waleska, Georgia where I attended R.M. Moore elementary and Cherokee County High school however I did not graduate. I did however get my high school diploma in 2008 from Harvest Preparatory School.

Waleska is not that far from Jasper so I always considered myself a local girl who wanted, after my divorce and now a single mom, to live and raise my children in Jasper. I've been a resident of Pickens County almost thirty years working two jobs most of the time caring for my two children and now six grandchildren.

I have managed Forest Glen apartments for nine years and have been the manager of the Family Dollar store for the past eight years. As a manager at Family Dollar, I get the pleasure of getting to know the community on a daily basis.

We often help in the community with fund raising for the Boys & Girls Club. We at Family Dollar presented a check in the amount of $11,100 last year to our local branch. We also support the Leukemia foundation.
During Christmas and Valentine's Day, Family Dollar along with our faithful customers donated balloons to the nursing home in Jasper.

I love helping our community any way possible. At Forrest Glen, I make Thanksgiving dinner for any resident that wants it. Again, I love both jobs because I get to meet and help a lot of my neighbors who live and work in Jasper.

There are so many reasons why I am so fed up with Jasper City Government and I'm sure you as Jasper TAX PAYERS and WATER CUSTOMERS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE can add to my list as I look forward to hearing from you during this campaign.

I want to especially hear from those who feel disenfranchised by our City Government's Mayor and Council. To those Jasper Citizens who feel like me, you need to know I want your help. Yes, I need you to vote for me and against all incumbent council members.

I also need you to get involved during this campaign like you never have before. I need you to talk to your friends and neighbors and make sure they know why their taxes were raised, their water rates increased and services cut to the bone.

Transparency: the quality of allowing light to pass through so that objects behind can be distinctly seen.

This term was used by the present Mayor and Council Members to explain how open their government was going to be. I along with the Council candidates opposing the incumbent Council will show many examples of their anything and everything but transparent City Government.

Why hasn't The Mayor or any Council Members not addressed the internet scam? The City Manager along with the Finance Director sent ONE HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS over the internet to a bogus site.
Why this was only known to the Tax Payers and Water Customers by an open record request from the Pickens County Progress?
What was the outcome?
Was anybody caught or held accountable?

We as tax payers don't know because this Mayor and Council are everything but transparent. Not to worry they can always just raise our water rates and if that's not enough they can just raise our taxes and fees. If I had sent a check over the internet to a bogus site I would not only be fired but prosecuted as well.

It is heart breaking to see what has happened to our Jasper City Park. It looks like a bomb has literally gone off. That lake with a water fall used to be beautiful, a real resource for our community. I'm ashamed of a park I used to be so proud of. I used to take friends and visitors there but, not any more.

There is no one at City Hall who cares. There is no elected official at City Hall. There are just two City Managers hired from out of state.

This Council has changed the City Charter to give themselves a huge raise and they gutted the Mayor's office so they could have all the power with little or no recourse. Problem is they don't know what to do with this power. They just abuse it and there is no one to hold accountable. This Council is running a nut and shell game and we Tax Payers never know which shell has the nut.

If you elect me along with three new Council Members, we will put the power back in the people's hands. Your Mayor has to be the Chief Elected Official with all power afforded by the State of Georgia accountable to the Citizens.

Under our new City Charter this Council created a City Government similar to that in Washington D.C. where a single council member who sways a couple votes really has the power with no accountability only deniability.

City Government is the Government closest to the people. The easiest Government to change and this Council has proven that.

Vote for me and against the incumbent Council Members and we will show you how fast we can change the Charter to serve all its Citizens and not a power hungry few.

I would like to personally ask you for your vote.