Editor’s note: Throughout the week, Reporter Newspapers will be publishing portions of its voters guide for the upcoming Nov. 5 elections. Candidate info can also be found in the Oct. 4 and Oct. 18 editions of Reporter Newspapers.
Dianne Fries (Incumbent)
Occupation: Full Time Council Member/ Part Time Realtor
Prior political experience: 7.8 years as the Council Member for District 2. I am also on the executive committee for the Fulton County GOP and have been a delegate for the Fulton and State GOP for 15 + years.
Why are you seeking this position? I would like to continue the excellent work that has been done in our young City. I have a passion for the city that I have lived in for over 30 years and want to give back to the community. I am in the middle of a project to bring an overlay into District 2 as well as a state offered tax incentive for new and expanding business and would like to see this completed. Although the hours are long, I enjoy every minute of it.
Why should voters choose you? I have a proven record of being fiscally conservative, hardworking, level headed, a consensus builder and can give the time needed to do the job right. I have a personal policy that I try to return any citizen call or email within the hour. I was involved in the startup of the city and very involved in all the projects in District 2, such as, the vision and development of the award winning Overlook Park, the total rebuild of the Morgan Falls Ball Field Facility so the children in our area would have a first class facility, the dog park at Morgan Falls, working with Georgia Power to build the fishing pier below the dam, the community block grant project in District 2 and the lovely streetscapes and decorative lighting along Roswell Road, the widening of Dunwoody Place with the high intensity security lights, bringing Roswell and Sandy Springs Councils together to build a bike/pedestrian bridge over the Chattahoochee to connect the two cities and park areas, the construction of the trails at Island Ford National Park, all in District 2. The Council put in place extremely strict adult entertainment ordinances which have resulted in 3 adult book stores not being able to survive in District 2. I work closely with our Police Chief to continue to reduce crime in our area. I am working with SSPD on a project called “operation safe home” for the apartments. In my spare time, I have created events throughout the year to enhance our community as a whole – The MLK Celebration, The Mayor’s Gala, Taste of Sandy Springs, the finale of the pro cycling event “Speed Week” as well as bringing the Anne Frank Exhibit to Sandy Springs. No one will work harder for you!
Campaign Website: www.dianne4sandysprings.org
Ken Dishman
Occupation: Regional Business Development for Software Startups
Prior political experience: I have not held political office. I have been involved in public service for several years as executive board member and President of Sandy Springs Youth Sports.
Why are you seeking this position?
I am running because it’s time for the citizens of District 2 to have a voice in our city government. Compared with the rest of our city, there has been little focus or investment in District 2 over the past eight years, and our citizens deserve better. Right now, many of the retail centers and apartment complexes in our district are in decline. Crime continues to be an issue for people who live in apartments as well as homeowners. As a husband and father of three daughters, I am deeply concerned about public safety and making all of Sandy Springs the kind of community our children will want to live in as adults. I am running because I am passionate about our community, and I will bring us all together to drive much-needed investment and improvements in our district and our entire city.
Why should voters choose you?
Voters should choose me because I will fight to give our community a voice in our government. To me this election is about active versus passive leadership. My opponent has been in office for eight years, but our District 2 has largely been neglected. Our citizens deserve an active City Council Member who communicates regularly to include them in the process, and one who has a vision for revitalizing our District 2.
I present a new opportunity for District 2. I will bring a fresh business perspective to our City Council, having 17 years of experience bringing new IT companies to market in our region. As President of Sandy Springs Youth Sports, I have seen first-hand how our community can achieve great things when our citizens come together with a united purpose. Our district needs a leader who will bring us together.
One of the opportunities available to us is to revitalize the Roswell Road corridor. I will work hard to make it safer and to attract higher end restaurants and retail. My goal is to make District 2 a destination point.
If this election cycle is the first time a voter has heard from my opponent, then they should vote for me. If voters do not feel safe in our shopping centers along Roswell Road, then they should vote for me. If voters want higher end venues to eat and shop in our district instead of having to travel to Dunwoody, East Cobb or Roswell, they should vote for me. It’s time to invest in our future.
Campaign webpage: