Lowe wants high quality of life for Centerville, running for council

CENTERVILLE — As Centerville nears the upcoming election, Lisa Lowe is hoping she can use her skills in the non-profit sector and community outreach to make a difference as a council member for post 3.

Lowe was born in Perry and grew up in Warner Robins, moving back to Houston County after graduating from Georgia Southern University. She has lived in Centerville for 25 years.

From her youth, she was involved in Girl Scouts and volunteer work, bringing a spirit of public service wherever she would go, she mentioned.

“Wherever I was, I always try to look to see what were the issues in the community, what were the needs of the community,” she said. “So, whether it was when I was away in Statesboro for college, or here, I always tried to become involved.”

Upon moving to Centerville, Lowe joined the Keep Centerville Beautiful Committee. In a professional capacity, Lowe worked as an accountant for the Macon Housing Authority and now serves as executive director for CASA of Houston County, a role she has held for 16 years.

In her role, she is responsible for strategic planning, grant research, grant writing, and budgeting. She feels that a seat on the council is a great way to be involved in the community where she raised her family.

“This is just, to me, a natural extension of who I am and wanting to be able to serve in a different capacity for the area where I live,” she said.

As part of her campaign, Lowe introduced a resident survey, saying she wants to hear from people she may not have the chance to meet.

Those she has met have been welcoming, and she appreciates her supporters for sharing a message she hopes resonates with Centerville residents.

“I’ve met so many different people along the way in different capacities in Centerville, whether they’re a business owner, whether they’re residents. The experience has been pleasant, and I appreciate that,” she said.

An avid recycler, Lowe is excited to see the new recycling center come to fruition and hopes to share what the center has to offer.

“I’d like to see how we can help expand the education on recycling, so that as people are bringing things in our community, that we’re able to recycle more and help not only maintain Centerville, but our larger community as a whole,” she said.

Lowe also said she believes maintaining a good relationship with Robins Air Force Base is essential, and said public safety is a priority. All in all, she said her top focus is maintaining a high quality of life for Centerville.

 “I want us to maintain the feeling of a small, yet vibrant community where we live. Because if you feel comfortable where you are, you want to stay and you want to be involved,” she said.

As the city grows, including talks of an amphitheater, Lowe said she would like to explore more revenue-generating opportunities for the city, such as a senior citizen center that could be rented out for events.

As a whole, she would like to examine the current strategic plan and pinpoint growth opportunities, she said.

“It would be a matter of sitting down to see the plan that’s there. There’s always, within whatever strategic plan you have, an opportunity to review and see how you can build on it, if there are changes that needs to be made,” she said.

On the residential side, Lowe believes education is key. She envisions a town hall meeting where developers, residents and council can come together and workshop their ideas.

“If there are opportunities, I definitely believe that we should have more affordable housing. What will it take for us to reach that goal for the city of Centerville? That takes a conversation with a group of people around the table. And I would foster that conversation,” she said.

She also mentioned that she would like to foster conversation in the realm of public safety. As a supporter of formal and informal neighborhood watch groups, she believes in bringing officers to the table to voice their needs. 

To meet those needs, Lowe said she would be interested in pursuing alternate sources of income that help bolster the departments.

“One of the things that I do is grant research, grant writing. Could there possibly be a grant that helps support the city in the areas of public safety so you can reallocate money to other line items?” she said. “It’s looking at different ways of supporting the the people in public safety and making sure they have what they need.” 

 Overall, Lowe said she is community-minded and considers the needs of her constituents through fostering relationships and working alongside the mayor and council. She encourages citizens to take her resident survey, continue discussing Centerville’s issues, and celebrate the city’s victories.

 “I’m a person who wants to hear from other people, bring people to the table, and then let’s continue to work to keep Centerville moving forward. I am the person who will do that,” she said. 

See the resident survey on Lowe’s campaign website.

Lowe is running against Logan Cowperthwaite, Timothy McEady and Larry Word, Jr.

Early voting begins Oct. 14 through Oct. 31. Election Day is Nov. 4.