The candidates:
Lynette Howard, incumbent (R)
Age: 50
Hometown: Pensacola, Fla.
Residence: Peachtree Corners
Family: Married, two children
Education: Bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Georgia State University
Occupation: Spalding Temporaries; former program director for the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center
Political Experience: Elected to the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners in 2010
Jaime “Jay” Trevari, (D)
Age: 67
Hometown: Columbus, Ga.
Residence: Norcross
Family: engaged, two children
Education: Bachelor’s degree in sociology and biology from Georgia State University
Occupation: retired coach and service representative with AT&T
Political Experience: none
The scandals in Gwinnett are quiet for now, but the ghosts of commissioners past are still on the minds of the voters who will go to the polls on Nov. 4.
Transparency and ethics remain key issues in the District 2 race, which pits the Republican incumbent against a first-time Democratic candidate.
Lynette Howard, who is seeking a second term on the board, said she is a “what-you-see-is-what-you-get” politician. She pointed out the work she’s done to help make apartment complexes safer, the extra leadership training she and other commissioners have gone through and the increased openness of county government.
Howard emphasized that she has only Gwinnett’s best interest at heart. “I’m proud of the board working together,” she said.
There is “tons to be done” in the county, Howard said. She said she wants to address blight through redevelopment, highlight the ways in which local businesses can better use each other as resources and improve access to walking trails.
Howard’s challenger, Jaime “Jay” Trevari, is a retired AT&T service representative. She said she who wants to be a voice for the unincorporated areas of the district. District 2 includes the cities of Lilburn, Norcross, Peachtree Corners and Berkeley Lake and unincorporated areas of southern Gwinnett.
She’s interested in changing the focus of leaders from the libraries and roads to the people who use them. To do that, she said, she’d keep regular office hours so people can drop in and discuss their concerns.
“I’m not the status quo,” she said. “I can think outside the box.”
Trevari said since she’s retired, she can focus full time on the job of commissioner. She said she supports many of the grand jury recommendations meant to discourage corruption, including more transparency from the board.
She also thinks redevelopment is important and wants to increase the diversity of board appointments so there is broad representation of the county’s different ethnic groups, Trevari said.
Howard, whose mother is Cuban, said she tries to make diverse appointments and is working to encourage people from various cultures to take leadership roles, particularly through groups like the Gwinnett Neighborhood Leadership Institute.
“I think it’s starting to happen. It’s naturally going to happen,” she said.
Howard said she’s made it a point to attend more county events so she can meet residents from all types of backgrounds.
Both Howard and Trevari are interested in expanding transit in the region — though Howard said MARTA is not the way to do it, due to the cost.
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