POWDER SPRINGS - Powder Springs City Council Ward 3 candidate Nancy Hudson recently served five years on the George E. Ford Center board of directors, which manages the community center. The experience, she said, left her with a taste for more public service.

"We were able to build the Powder Springs Library, where the old school used to be, and worked in conjunction with Cobb County to get the funding, design and everything," she said. "I enjoyed that so much, so I decided I needed to take a step further and get more involved in the other parts of the city."

A first-time political candidate, Hudson, 52, looks to replace Councilman Bob Farmer. Farmer was first elected in a special election in July 2000 and is not seeking re-election. Her opponent in the race is Steve Lahr.

Hudson said the city's budget would be her main focus, if elected. She said the city lacks the necessary funds to take on major projects.

"It's about maintaining the different services that the city has already," Hudson said. "That's going to be the main focus, just to be able to keep what we have and not to have to do any cuts or raise the millage rate. That's really going to be the main focus is getting through the next few years for any city."

Hudson said she doesn't want to see budget cuts in public safety. She said it's important that police officers maintain proper training for the job.

"People are more important than politics," Hudson said. "You have to look at the people and not always play the political game."

Overall, she gave the city council and Mayor Pat Vaughn high marks in the work they've done together over the past several years.

Regarding how the city should move forward after last month's flood, Hudson said she believes there was little more the city could have done to prepare the city for such a disaster. Her house was not impacted.

"I think the city was well-prepared for when it came five years ago and then again this year," she said. "I know the mayor and different areas of the city were out in the early morning hours riding around, trying to see where help was needed. I think they did a really good job."

In addition, Hudson said she'd like to partner with schools in the city to start a mentoring program involving city employees.

"I would like to do something with the schools, and that would be something I'd have to contact principals with, because I do work in education," Hudson said.

Hudson works as a student information clerk for Birney Elementary School in Cobb. She has worked in education for 24 years.

Besides her work on the George E. Ford Center board, Hudson's community activities include performing volunteer work at WellStar Community Hospice and is involved in Macland Baptist Church in Powder Springs.

A Powder Springs native, Hudson graduated from McEachern High School in 1975. She has been married 35 years to Charles. They have two grown children and four grandchildren.