MADISON – Ranae Bartlett has entered the race for Madison City Council for District 5.

“I’m running for City Council to bring a new voice to our city government and shape our community’s future,” Bartlett said. “People move to Madison because of its outstanding school system and small-town atmosphere. Madison is a special place to live, raise a family, and stay once the kids are grown.”

Bartlett has served on Madison Board of Education since June 2011. (She won’t seek reappointment.) She has worked as Vice-President and President while Madison City Schools experienced unprecedented growth in student growth.

Her campaign is focused on specific tenets:

* Supporting responsible growth — Requires a thoughtful and strategic approach. City leaders must balance the ability to pay for city services, infrastructure and education, alongside the desire for growth.

“Residential growth does not generate sufficient revenue to pay for city services and education,” Bartlett said. “We need more commercial and industrial development and less high-density residential development.”

* Improving roads and infrastructure – Ease traffic problems by widening roads, which is “critical to our quality of life and safety” … Improvements depend on strategic planning and collaboration with state and local leaders.

* Protecting our school system – “Our Madison City School system is the pride of North Alabama. I will place the highest priority on protecting this asset … These aren’t just empty words that you hear from some candidates. My service the past nine years on Madison Board of Education, without compensation, demonstrates my dedication to our school system and our kids,” Bartlett said.

* Usher new era of transparency and honesty – Listen to people’s concerns, consider community input, and communicate reasons for decisions.

In 2003, Bartlett’s family moved to Madison from northwest Arkansas, where she worked as Director of Risk Analysis and Security Resources and Assistant General Counsel for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Ranae earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law.

Ranae and husband Todd Guthrie have one son — Michael Guthrie, 2020 Salutatorian at Bob Jones High School, who will study chemical engineering at the University of Alabama.

To contact Bartlett’s campaign, email info@voteforbartlett.com or visit voteforbartlett.com.