Media Kit
BROOKE SCHMIDT
Candidate for Canton City Council, Ward 3
Canton City Council candidate Brooke Schmidt has made her home in the Canton community since 2006, when she and her husband chose Cherokee County as the best location to live and raise their two children. Their decision was based on the county’s school district, as well as opportunities to live in a neighborhood that catered to a variety of households, from young families to senior adults, as Schmidt’s mother relocated to the community shortly after.
Schmidt has a thriving career as a writer, which has enabled her to be an active member of her community, including classroom time and PTA at her children’s schools and as a board member and past-president of her neighborhood’s Homeowners Association. She currently works part-time as the Activities Director for Canton’s River Green.
Her interest in local government is the direct result of her experience as HOA president, a position for which she was encouraged to run when her nearly 900-home-and-growing neighborhood had problems affecting both property values and community morale. The neighborhood needed someone who was a great listener, attentive to details, and able to research the best methods for resolving the complex issues.
“I led the charge twice in different settlements – and we won,” Schmidt said. The settlements required previous management organizations to pay for repairs and maintenance that would otherwise have fallen on the homeowners in the form of increased fees and special assessments.
Her experience serving and fighting for others led her to look at additional ways she could use her talents to serve the Canton community. She has attended City Council meetings and recognized an opportunity to continue to serve the community as it navigates the best ways to balance its historic roots with inevitable growth.
“Canton - Cherokee County - is going to grow,” she says. “We’re the last place north of Atlanta – the last suburb before the mountains – where there is space. We can’t have elected officials who are scared of the growth, who believe all change is bad. We need leaders who are aware of the change, and who are willing to find ways to usher it in responsibly and carefully.”
She also insists that elected officials be true representatives of the people who put them in office. That includes being approachable, ready to listen to concerns, and to take the responsibility of constituent representation seriously.
Since announcing her candidacy, Schmidt has been asked about her “agenda,” which makes her smile. “My agenda is to make sure the residents of this community feel heard, to make sure they aren’t intimidated by the process of participation or perceived political games,” she says.
Several issues that she has heard repeatedly as she talks with Canton residents include:
Walkability around all of Canton. “It’s important that we not just focus on downtown. Riverstone is a destination as well. Let’s not overlook any parts of the community.”
Sustainability. “We need to start a real discussion on this issue, including alternative energy sources. It is within reach; just look at the solar panels other cities install on city-owned buildings. We can also implement simpler solutions like bottle fillers at water fountains.”
Family values. “We could have gone anywhere in Atlanta in 2006. We specifically chose Canton because of the community, housing price points that were accessible for a young family, and good schools – plus future potential. We need to focus on that, so that all families feel welcome in our community.”
Community. “We need to make Canton even more of a destination for all families, through art and activities. We want leaders who believe in building community, never dividing it.”
Approachability. “The community needs to feel welcome at City Council meetings, so that they can truly be involved in the decisions that affect all of us who live here.”
Land Use. “We need to look again at the Bluffs Parkway industrial area to see what we can do to attract businesses to that area.”
Schmidt emphasizes that she may not have grown up in Cherokee County, but she and her husband made the conscious choice to live here and to raise their children here; to make their home here and enjoy the friendships they have made with their fellow Canton residents; and to make use of opportunities to maintain the charm of the community, while ensuring that future generations are proud to call Canton home. Schmidt said, “This City has been our village; it has built my children’s foundation. We are devoted to its future.”
“My feeling is that we should run for City Council because we feel passionate about the work we can do serving,” Schmidt says. “It’s not because someone expects us to do it; it’s not because of where you came from or who your family is. Choose leaders who have proven they’ll lean in and engage. Choose leaders who are team players. I’ve been here since 2006, and I want to work to help Canton be the best it can be.”
Born in Iowa, Schmidt moved to Georgia when she was in middle school and graduated from high school in Peachtree City. “It’s silly to think that because I haven’t been here for 50 years, that I love it less than someone who was born here, which is something I’ve been told. I love Canton. I’ve lived in lots of places, and I choose to make Canton my home. I think that says something about my commitment,” she says.
In addition to her work as a writer and activities director, Schmidt is committed to volunteering in the community. She leads a local book club, is this year’s PTA Advocacy Chair at Knox Elementary STEM Academy, and is helping coordinate the Knox Food Pantry.
Schmidt attended Queens College (now Queens University), in Charlotte, North Carolina, and graduated with a double major in English and Communications. Her husband, Brian, is a manager for an engineering firm where he has worked for 18 years. They were married in 1999, and have two children – Reid, who is in 8th grade at Teasley Middle School; and Audra, a 5th grade student at Knox Elementary STEM Academy. The family has a rescue dog named Rooster.