A Mansfield man has announced that he will run for the District 1 seat of the Newton County Board of Education in 2014.

Republican candidate Stan Edwards, 49, said he will seek the District 1 seat of the BOE in a news release Monday. Edwards, who has been employed with AT&T for 29 years, said he is a longtime resident of Newton County, living the majority of his life in the District 1 area.

Edwards said he decided to run for the seat because he believes it is a crucial time for Newton’s education system, with companies such as Baxter International moving into Newton County. He added that he has been approached by people in the community about running for the seat.

“My family and I decided that I would seek the District 1 BOE seat because we love Newton County, want to enable real education for our children, and, while doing so, make Newton County a viable contender for companies like Baxter and their employees,” Edwards said. “The possibility of seeking the District 1 seat became clear after Mr. Jeff Meadors (current BOE District 1 representative) decided not to seek another term, he said.

“I had been approached by citizen groups, from within and outside the district about seeking the position. Only after prayerful thought and conversations with my children, wife, parents, friends and various county officials, was the decision made to seek out this privilege.”

“The fact that a company like Baxter chooses to drop roots in District 1 only adds to the excitement and energy around the district as well as the challenges. The citizens of District 1 cannot be asked to shoulder more taxes. So, in the coming years the BOE will have to make tough decisions, many of which will be unpopular,” Edwards said.

“I am willing to sit at the table that makes those decisions and be a strong voice for fiscal conservatism using innovation and collaboration as weapons to navigate difficult scenarios.”

Edwards said that since his wife Leslie is a teacher at Flint Hill Elementary School, he has seen first-hand challenges facing students, teachers, and administrators.

“I will be an advocate for the students, parents and taxpayers of District 1 and an enabler of educational success I know the students of this great county are capable of,” he said. “Simply put, I want to serve. That is why it is with the most humble spirit I will be asking the citizens of District 1 in the coming months for their trust, influence and vote.”

Edwards holds a bachelor of science in business management degree from the University of Phoenix and is actively pursuing a master’s degree in business administration. He currently serves as a project manager for an AT&T domestic and international Tier II organization.

Edwards said he has managed large occupational and management teams with AT&T for more than 15 years and has graduated from several AT&T corporate leadership programs.

He currently serves as vice president on the executive board of directors of Project Renewal — a domestic violence shelter serving Rockdale, Newton and Walton counties, and has also served a two-year appointment (2006-2008) as the Republican representative of the Newton County Board of Elections.

Edwards and his wife Leslie have been married for 19 years. They have two children, Coley, 14, and Tristan, 12, who both attend Newton County Schools. Edwards and his family attend Eastridge Community Church in Covington.