Those who have known former Mayor Pro Tem Sean Frantom since the late 1980s as a student at Lakeside High School definitely remember him as being that school’s happy-go-lucky version of Ferris Bueller.
The school longtime secretary, my Aunt Kip Hudson, would definitely have called him a “righteous dude.”
Frantom has a special reason to be flashing his trademark grin this week as his wife Jennifer and he are expecting the birth of baby Sarah, hopefully set for this Thursday. The pair already share two boys, Charles, 9, and William, 6.
In the late 1980s, Columbia County opened Lakeside High School and as a “overflow” new school, it lacked many after school opportunities, such as ROTC and auto shop. Rising seniors were given a choice as to if they wanted to go to the new school at all.
The fledgling new school had barely enough students to be able to assemble a yearbook, so a Poly-Sci club or student government associations likely made it somewhere near 4-H on the priority list. It was this observation that led Frantom into politics.
“I just realized that I went to school with some very, very smart people, but I never saw any people I knew or even people my age being active in the community. It was because nothing was really being offered to people my age,” Frantom said. “No one reached out to invite us to community clean-ups or events like that.”
Frantom used his natural talents of communication combined with his charisma to form the Young Professionals of Augusta (YPA) in 2007. His hunch was correct, all Gen. X needed was an invite, maybe with a promise of refreshments, to show up and become more community-minded.
Membership in the group soared from the very beginning.
In 2010, against the advice of virtually all of his friends, Frantom announced he was running against local business legend Grady Smith for the Super District 10 seat on the Augusta Commission.
The conventional wisdom that won the day was the fact that while Frantom had a great reputation in Augusta/Richmond County, he was known primarily in the county he grew up in: Columbia County.
Frantom says that he thought that the district accompanying four districts simply meant that he needed to shake more hands and attend more breakfasts. He felt that his stated ideas swept away the notion he was inexperienced. He also had the conviction that his youthful energy would strike a sharp contrast to a commission that only had two members under the age of 60.
“I must say that if I had to do it again, I would. I learned some very valuable lessons and it really set me up for winning the next time around,” Frantom said.
He would go on to serve from 2016 to 2025 and be appointed mayor pro tem for a term as well. Current District 7 Commissioner Tina Slendak, who he supported fiercely, seems to be carrying on his legacy among commissioners as that of a consensus builder who doesn’t feel the need to join a political block, having their ego stroked by grandstanding in front of the television cameras or by turning what could be a five minute meeting into something that draws out into the night and still ends up being tabled.
Frantom says that he never really stopped campaigning. However, instead of running for office he turned committed to campaigning for a strong Augusta.
When Hurricane Helene struck, Frantom was not only out in the streets with his sleeves rolled up, but he also stepped up, representing the commission the public, along with Mayor Garnett Johnson and City Administrator Tameka Allen. He was the natural choice as the public tended to trust him as a commissioner that could be called and reached at any time, even if the constituent did not live in his district.
“When people would email or call me, they always started off by apologizing because they didn’t live in my district, but I told them that they had a problem that the commission could fit and I am on the commission. What part of the county they came from doesn’t negate the fact they pay their taxes here,” Frantom said.
Just as Frantom was enjoying the fruits of a solid reputation as a truly dedicated public servant, he and his wife received life-altering news. Their youngest child, William, was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, which is a genetic disorder affecting primarily the lungs, liver and pancreas.
Not only did Frantom redouble his efforts on the commission, but he figured that he could show his son a great measure of nurture by aiding any group that offers support to children with devastating illnesses. He veered his professional career in a new direction and became the director of development at the Ronald McDonald House where he served for 7 years before moving on to what is likely his dream job at TopGolf.
Frantom says that he is not done with politics at all and sees perhaps a statewide or national run in his future. Doctors have told Sean and Jennifer that their daughter Sarah tests positive for Cystic Fibrosis as well, meaning that in the short run, they must be committed to faith and family before considering a run for Congress or other high office.
Politically speaking, many in conservative circles say that Frantom can write his own ticket and would be a natural replacement for Rick Allen should he retire. Political insiders say that Frantom’s ability to work behind the scenes to build consensus rather than attempt to carve out a bully pulpit for himself.
While there was breathless speculation that Frantom’s next political move would be to run for mayor, he has the same problem he faced when he was just getting started in politics, only the counties have flipped. This time, though, while he has proven his mettle in Augusta leadership, he and his family now live in Columbia County.
Reach Scott Hudson at scott@theaugustapress.com
