A new candidate has thrown her hat into the ring of the City of Gray’s political arena for the upcoming election.
Natalie Lurie announced her intention to run for city council in an interview this past weekend. She will be a candidate in the city’s District 3. She was born and raised in Macon, attended Stratford Academy and then Georgia College and State University.
Lurie came to Gray for a job as an intern with the Jones County/Gray Chamber of Commerce and Jones County Development Authority in 2011.
The internship became a permanent position, where she remained for two and a half years.
The candidate said she left the chamber for a job at GEICO in 2013 but moved to Gray in 2014. She is married to Josh Lurie, and the couple has one daughter, Lola.
Lurie worked her way up to claims adjuster at GEICO and recently started working at Allstate.
The candidate said she has watched the work being done by the Gray Downtown Development Authority, Main Street Gray and the Chamber in revitalization and improvements in downtown Gray. “I want to help and make sure the efforts continue,” she said. “I’d like Gray to be on the map as a place where people want to live, work and visit. We also need to bring more business to Gray.”
Lurie said she considers Gray the permanent home for her family.
“I’m glad for Lola and perhaps our future children to grow up here and attend Jones County schools,” she said.
The candidate said the goal is for Gray to become a place that its residents never have to leave. She said she does not want Gray businesses or tax dollars to go anywhere else.
“We have a lot of opportunity in our city and county for more growth. I want to see that continue and help remove any obstacles for people to move here,” she said.
Lurie said she enjoys seeing improved relationships between the city, county and Board of Education.
“Everyone benefits when we all work together,” she said.
The candidate said she would like Gray’s revitalization to include work on the city’s charter that is over 100 years old.
“And I think it will be nice to have a new and female perspective on the council,” Lurie added.
