City Leaders: Q&A with Councilman James Lowe

It has been just a year since Gwinnett saw the creation of the City of Peachtree Corners.  For its mayor and six city council members, the nascent city’s leaders have kept their hands full.  This fall three city council members will add campaigning to their list of family and civic responsibilities. To get a sense of what that first year was like, Inside Gwinnett Magazine sat down with Councilman James Lowe, Post 2. The following is an excerpt from that discussion.

IGM: With one year under your belt, how does it feel?
A: Councilman Lowe: My mission statement from the day I decided to run for City Council was to, “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value,” a quote from Albert Einstein.   That being said, there is a tremendous feeling of accomplishment.  With Peachtree Corners being the first new city in Gwinnett County in 55 years we had a daunting task to execute effectively and efficiently.  To begin with, there was absolutely no infrastructure and no blueprint. Since July 1, 2012, we had a full-time job to literally create something out of nothing.

IGM: What successes have occurred?
A: Councilman Lowe: Working together with Mayor Mason and the City Council we have accomplished so much.  We all have our own opinions but what makes us unique is that we collaborate and come to consensus in the best interest of the community, which has been paramount in how we have managed to execute so much in such a short time.
We created the legal framework for our city and established offices for City Hall (147 Technology Park).  We interviewed and hired three key city employees: City Manager Julian Jackson; Planning & Development Manager Diana Wheeler; and City Clerk Kym Chereck.  Along the way, we created an international award winning logo for the city.

The best part is we reduced the maximum property tax of one millage point to zero by capitalizing on business licenses and franchise fees.  It is now more cost-effective to own property in the City of Peachtree Corners than in unincorporated Gwinnett County.  Thanks to the Service Delivery Strategy (SDS), property owners in Peachtree Corners will receive a .375 millage point rebate from Gwinnett County for the services that the City of Peachtree Corners now provides at no cost.

IGM: Peachtree Corners has been fortunate to have a vibrant business community. What is the city doing to support the business environment?
A: Councilman Lowe: We are working closely with Partnership Gwinnett to recruit and retain jobs in our city, as well as continuing to support the Peachtree Corners Business Association and Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce.

IGM: What can you share with us about the land across from The Forum?
A: Councilman Lowe: We did a couple of things.  First we thwarted the development of Garden Apartments in the heart of Peachtree Corners by creating and appointing members to a Downtown Development Authority (DDA).  Unlike a municipality, a DDA has the ability to negotiate directly with companies, promote commerce in the city and offer incentives to businesses.  Its first order of business was the purchase of the 20.8 acres of prime undeveloped land across from the Forum.

IGM: What would you like to see happen over the next couple of years?
A: Councilman Lowe: After just one year we have validated that the limited service concept works.  Self-determination is paramount for both quality of life and to maintain property values.  Instead of the tail wagging the dog, we have control over what happens in our backyard.  I will work toward increasing our code compliance resources and implementation of our Comprehensive Plan.  Additionally, there are three areas of redevelopment I plan to be proactive on: Technology Park, the Holcomb Bridge Corridor and Winters Chapel.

IGM: What are you hearing from your constituents?
A: Councilman Lowe: I’m hearing lots of important and relevant comments from residents. Through the process for creating the Comprehensive Plan I got a strong sense of what people want.  Residents are interested in building a unified and family-friendly community; the development of a “Town Center”; broader range of housing; support for the aging population; and protection for our existing single family residences.

IGM: What do your four girls think of dad, the city councilman?
A: Councilman Lowe: Great question. When I was elected three of the four were at Simpson Elementary; the youngest was still in diapers. During my campaign the three “big” girls wanted to participate in everything.  They knocked on doors, placed yard signs, and came to many public meetings. They loved waiving to neighbors on Election Day and encouraged their friends to vote!  My second daughter, second-grader Susanna, said, “Daddy all my friends are going to vote for you!” My fourth grader, Tatum, and kindergartener, Emerson, convinced their teachers to vote for their daddy even though they didn’t live in Peachtree Corners.  They even insisted that they give out “Jay Lowe” T-Shirts to their friends to wear to school.

Needless to say the first campaign was a wonderful experience for my family – one that we will never forget.  That being said, the newness has worn off and all I get is, “When are you running for office again”?  It reminds me of a dear friend, Sally Shlossman, reminiscing about the cherished times she had campaigning with her Daytona Beach, Florida city councilman father.  As a father, I get a bit choked up thinking about it and hope that my girls will someday speak of their fond memories campaigning with me.

Councilman Lowe is the Business Development Director with the firm of Hicks & Clark, a financial outsourcing, payroll, and tax consulting firm.

Source:  Inside Gwinnett Magazine