A first contender has entered the race for Augusta Commission District 7.
Tina Slendak, an administrator for the Augusta Political Watch Facebook group, announced Sunday she is running for the seat.
Slendak has lived in the National Hills area for many years and worked as office manager for an architectural firm.
“I’ve always been interested in local politics and now, with our district seat opening up next year and my ’40-hour’ job winding down, I look forward to the challenge of being able to represent the district I’ve lived in my whole life, and the city I love,” Slendak said in a post.
Slendak said she hopes to run on a three-point platform that includes working with city departments and nonprofits on the issues of homelessness and vagrancy that affect District 7 heavily. She advocates for belt-tightening if city officials continue to raise taxes and wants Augusta Parks and Recreation to provide clean and operational parks and pools, especially for the city’s young people.
Commissioner Sean Frantom has represented District 7 since 2015, when he was elected to complete Donnie Smith’s term. Frantom would be elected to two regular terms, the second of which ends this year and is now subject to Augusta’s two-term limit.
The nonpartisan election will be decided on the May 21 ballot, unless a runoff becomes necessary. Augusta also has elections for commission Districts 1, 3, 5 and 9 in the May general primary and nonpartisan election.
