CHOICES 4 OCONEE 2024

Suzannah is a graduate of the University of Georgia where she studied Interior Design. Her, her husband, and their three children, moved to Watkinsville from Lilburn in March of 2020.

Suzannah Heimel's work experience includes retail management, sales, and most recently property management of family owned rentals .

As of May 4, 2024, Suzannah Heimel did not have a website and did not complete our questionnaire.

As of March 19, 2024, Suzannah Heimel did not have a website or any information online.

Public Services

Said, "Lower Taxes: ... We need to work harder at the county level to reduce taxes on our residents."

The candidate's website says, "Conservative Spending: Our local rulers need to work harder to hold onto our tax dollars and respect the pocketbooks of our taxpayers."

Supports conservative spending, believing leaders need to work harder to hold onto tax dollars

- Said, "Lower Taxes: ... We need to work harder at the county level to reduce taxes on our residents."
- Supports conservative spending, believing leaders need to work harder to hold onto tax dollars

Economy

Education

Public Safety

The candidate's website says, "Thoughtful Rezoning: Zoning is in place for a reason... While more houses bring more tax dollars we need to remember to ask our citizens what they want in the way of growth and rezoning."

Housing & Urban Development

Transportation & Infrastructure

Suzannah Heimel

She is a graduate of the University of Georgia where she studied Interior Design. Her, her husband, and their three children, moved to Watkinsville from Lilburn in March of 2020.

Her work experience includes retail management, sales, and most recently property management of family owned rentals .

As of April 21, 2024, Suzannah Heimel’s website did not contain information on this issue.

The candidate's website says, "Civic engagement and citizen empowerment are necessary for successful communities... The result is elected officials who stay in office for decades, then pick their successors from the ranks of the faithful in office below them."

As of March 19, 2024, Suzannah Heimel’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Candidate website

Opposes tax abatements and subsidies for large businesses, arguing they unfairly shift the tax burden to homeowners and small businesses in Oconee County, and advocates for attracting businesses by promoting the county's inherent strengths.

Plans to forgo a full-time salary as Chair, advocating for reduced compensation in line with advisory roles, reflecting the presence of a full-time County Administrator and aligning with salaries in neighboring regions and local boards.

The candidate's website says, "Fiscal responsibility and transparency are essential. Taxpayers have a right to know why they are being taxed and how the money is being spent. Nothing short of full transparency is acceptable."

Plans to enhance financial transparency by providing detailed monthly financial reports at Board meetings and online, unlike the current Board of Commissioners' practice, which lacks such disclosure without an open records request.

Said, "Government budgets and spending are out of control... This hit home for me this year when my property taxes increased 16% in one year alone!"

The candidate's website says, "Fiscal and Food Security for the Future. Skyrocketing national debt and inflation, open borders and failure to vet illegals, also aided by federally funded partisan NGOs... We need county leaders who acknowledge this and pledge to look for ways to fortify Oconee against potential threats..."

The candidate's website says, "1. Reign in government spending and hold the line on property taxes"

Wants disclosure of all outstanding debt, including off-balance sheet and state-assumed obligations, which may affect Oconee County taxpayers.

The candidate's website says, "Fiscal responsibility and transparency are essential"

The candidate's website says, "The Board is typical of Community and Corporate Boards that act to approve essentially everything the administration brings before them, especially of financial importance."

The candidate's website says, "Emphasize academics over rote preparation for standardized tests including SAT tests... Call attention to implemented SEL (social emotional learning) programs such as the Ron Clark House program..."

Believes the Superintendent and Board of Education should address student hardships, including homelessness and family crises, and report on health issues and non-English speaking students' needs.

Said, "I am interested in improving the Oconee school system in other areas... Do we need meaningful after school programs for latchkey children, even teenagers? Do we need to bring back programs that provide real world skills – car repair, wood shop, gardening, and home economics? Are we overemphasizing Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment programs over trades?... Are Chrome Books and other technology helping the educational process, or are they more detrimental?"

The candidate's website says, "The Board is typical of Community and Corporate Boards that act to approve essentially everything the administration brings before them, especially of financial importance. This needs to change with the BOE becoming meaningfully involved in analysis and decisions."

The candidate's website says, "Board members should be meaningfully involved in school libraries and study materials... There seems to be no significant Board interest in what books are in school libraries or in study materials that are needed for learning and scholarly pursuits..."

Said, "Budget – I am committed to holding the line on all school budgets. I suspect more can be done with less. Tax increases cause home ownership to be less affordable for families we are known for serving in our schools."

Said, "In college I learned that I had a reading disability... when I married and had children, I was determined that they would attend the Oconee schools... My three children graduated from Oconee High School."

Believes current curriculum issues, including content concerns, lack of textbooks, excessive tech use, and low student engagement, contribute to underachievement and high school dropout rates.

Said, "An unfortunate aspect of many such boards is their similarity in their relationship to the CEO, or in this case, the school superintendent. ... Budgets and plans (both physical plant and academic) are proffered with little critical input or helpful discussion from the board members. ... Recognition and respect for student physical and emotional development is of paramount importance, and parents need to be involved and informed about their children's progress, beyond mere academic achievement. ... My purposes for running for school board are multiple but include ... concerns that will be brought up as time progresses. I think I can help in the guidance of students via the BOE in view of my skills and background."

The candidate's website says, "Emphasize academics over rote preparation for standardized tests including SAT tests."

The candidate's website says, "Bus Routes – some children commute over an hour each way on school buses. This is inexcusable. ... Perhaps we need to consider reallocating resources from building projects, technology, etc. to achieve this."

Said, "I am looking forward to representing students, parents, and teachers on the Board of Education. My concerns primarily focus on the welfare of the students."

Said, "Parents entrust their children with schools, and we need to live up to their expectations!"

The candidate's website says, "Board members should be meaningfully involved in school libraries and study materials."

The candidate's website says, "Board members should be meaningfully involved in school libraries and study materials"

The candidate's website says, "There seems to be no significant Board interest in what books are in school libraries or in study materials that are needed for learning and scholarly pursuits; I assume it's all deferred to the specialty teachers of record."

Said, "It is important to have redundancy of property records... Hard copies should be maintained in the event the digital copy is wiped out or compromised."

Suzannah Heimel is from Oconee County, having previously lived in nearby Morgan County and Clarke County, as well as Lilburn, Georgia. She attended the University of Georgia, where she studied Interior Design, and also has a degree in Home Economics from Georgia Southern University. Suzannah is married with three children, two of whom are in high school and one who is a recent college graduate. She is involved with Ashford Memorial Methodist Church.

Suzannah Heimel is an attorney specializing in Elder Law and probate issues. She has also taught accounting at Georgia State University – Perimeter College for 28 years and has experience in retail management, sales, and property management of family-owned rentals. Previously, she worked at Price Waterhouse (now PWC) for three years.

Suzannah Heimel has served on the Library Board, the Board of Tax Equalization, and the Board of Elections. She has been active in the Republican Party, holding the position of Treasurer. Additionally, she has experience as the mayor of Rutledge, Georgia in 2004/2005.

- County Commissioners create and pass laws at the county-level. These laws show up in very tangible ways, such as determining how much you pay in property and sales taxes, public transportation, and maintaining infrastructure.
- County Commissioners are responsible for preparing and passing the county budget. The budget determines how much funding goes to various public services, such as public transportation, law enforcement, repairing roads, and maintaining infrastructure.
- County Commissioners oversee the administrative duties of your county’s government to ensure the safety, comfort, and well-being of county residents.
- County Commissioners are elected to 4-year terms in staggered years. Typically, you only vote for the County Commissioner that represents your county commission district.