(This is the eighth week of questions to the town board candidates about local issues.)
There are no questions this week. Each candidate was asked to submit a statement telling why he or she should be elected.
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Election Day for the November Wake Forest municipal elections is Nov. 5 with polls open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. There is no early voting for Wake Forest elections, and you do not have to show an ID to vote in this election.
If you are not registered to vote, you cannot vote in this election because the registration deadline was Friday, Oct. 11. You can still register to vote in upcoming elections by going to www.wakegov.com, choosing Board of Elections on the first page and Register to Vote on the second. While there you can learn all the other locations in Wake County where you can register.
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If you were unable to attend the Candidates Forum sponsored by the Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, Oct. 22, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Renaissance Centre or not able to watch it live on Channel 10, you can still see and hear all the candidates. Beginning Friday, Oct. 25, the unedited forum will be rebroadcast daily through Election Day on WFTV 10 at noon and 6 p.m. The 2019 Candidates’ Forum is the only forum that will be aired this year on WFTV 10.
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Greg Bartholomew
President Teddy Roosevelt was fond of saying the following African proverb: “Speak softly and carry a big stick; and you will go far.” President Roosevelt also was a man before his time. e had the uncanny ability to plan for the future; witness our national parks system.
As a commissioner, planning for the present and the future is important. Our citizens will place a great deal of trust in who they vote for. If elected, my duty will be to meet their expectations to the best of my ability.
Why am I a candidate? Again, President Roosevelt had the answer. “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst; if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat”. Very powerful and insightful words for sure.
So do I know victory or defeat? I’ve never been a loser. As citizens, do we know victory, or are we victims of too many automobiles, and too much growth? I will admit I am a conservative. My preference is for steady change. I don’t make decisions without knowing every aspect of what’s in question. won’t be rushed by the circumstances. We need commissioners whom are able to work together and will have the fortitude to make the unpopular votes, who won’t always be “yes” votes on everything. I am that man.
Wake Forest has seen incredible growth along with the rest of our county. No one denies that! Rapid growth sometimes overwhelms our ability to make correct decisions. Take residential growth in Wake Forest for instance; with no industrial base for tax revenue, we must depend on home construction for operating income. Everyone understands that.
So growth is good? Maybe. Developers want to make the most return for their investment of time and money. We all know that. But when the need for their profit starts to degrade our quality of life, we need to step back and readjust our priorities. Is it worth the congested roads, overcrowded schools, and just one more grocery store? As current citizens, we have the right to determine how our community grows. That’s why we vote for representatives who make decisions for the common good.
Is the system perfect? No way. But it’s what we have to deal with. So what do we do? Should we punt or go for it on fourth down? I’m not a gambler or a player, but as a coach, I can call the play with the most certainty of success. Today, that play is to be conservative. Not a pass or reverse, but a straight dive off right tackle. Direct to the point and not fancy, but effective. So, we need a conservative, safe, and effective method of growth. here is no reason to jump at the first development that presents itself. There will be better opportunities later.
The town and the citizens of Wake Forest deserve housing that will upgrade our present standards. Why allow developers to clear cut our forests and flatten the land to look like west Texas? We set the design standards for our town. As a developer, if you don’t respect our community values, you shouldn’t be here. We want developments with large mature trees, hills and valleys, streams and ponds, and a minimum of half- acre lots. You see this in our most desirable neighborhoods. That’s what we want. Why allow homes seven feet apart?
“Build it and they will come” is true. But that time is over. No more developments large enough to change the character of our town. So is growth bad? Maybe not. What we want is good growth. Slow steady increases so we can improve our infrastructure to handle that growth. Developers can build a subdivision in two years. It takes five years minimum for school and road improvements. That’s three years of misery.
Look, we need growth. I get it. But, smart growth that we can handle. Not another town constructed within our town. In my past, I have developed two small subdivisions which averaged three to four acres per lot. But, I respected the forest, land, and the streams. Nice places to live.
Years ago, I bought an 1895 home from the town for $1 dollar. Most expensive dollar I ever spent. We moved the house, shut the town down for hours, and four years later it was a restored beauty. Was it worth it? Was it good growth? I think so. A historic house was saved, an infill lot was used, and the town has tax revenue for years to come. Would I do it again? Probably not. It was expensive and a lot of hard work. But it was worth it. I stepped off the sideline and called the right play. Win, win for everyone. Good coaching wins games. Good growth can make everyone happy!
My point is this: let’s make smart decision now so we don’t have any regrets later. Bad decisions now will affect our community forever. Whom you vote for today has to be a capable, stable, passionate, mature individual who has no agenda but to improve the future of Wake Forest. This is not a game: it is real life!
I love Wake Forest and the pride of its people. In the past, we suffered a big defeat when the college left town. In my opinion, it was a backyard beat down. We staggered around for decades. Rather than accept that defeat as the end, we got off the sidelines and got back in the game. Pride, perseverance, love, and hard work continues to categorize who we are today. Winners and not losers. Let us not forget those who played and coached before we were here. Honor our past and protect our future. Win, Win, Win.
Thank you for your time and please vote for Greg Bartholomew on November 5th.
Jim Dyer
I should be elected to the Wake Forest Town Board of Commissioners because of a long record of servant leadership. The role of an elected public official is to “serve the people.”
I have proudly claimed Wake Forest my home for over 30 years. During that period, I have had the privilege to serve our community in numerous leadership positions from president of the Rotary Club to chairman of the Koinonia Foundation. I also served in leadership in the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the American Legion as a servant leader. I DID NOT SERVE TO BE RECOGNIZED!
The Rotary Club was selected as the Best Community Service Club the year I served as president. I was recognized in the first Best of the Best Awards as the “Person Who Most Exemplifies Greater Wake Forest.” I am a recipient of the Koinonia Foundation’s Russell Dew Community Service Award.
As a military officer, I was often responsible for hundreds of soldiers and millions of dollars worth of equipment. Community service is a “family tradition” in our home. My wife was recognized this week as Volunteer of the Year at the Wake Forest College Birthplace. She is also the recipient of the Peggy Allen Lifetime Achievement Award for Service to the Citizens of Wake Forest. Service to others brought us together when we took a dozen children from the Methodist Children’s Home to the NC State Fair on the bus over 50 years ago. Leadership and service is in our DNA. I have the time, talent and the passion to serve Wake Forest as town commissioner.
Heather Holding
Heather Holding did not submit a response.
Anne Reeve
As the incumbent, I bring a lot of experience to the board of commissioners. I remember at the end of my first full year, I met with the, then Town Manager Mark Williams. I told him I felt that I should be awarded a new degree – there was so much to learn – not only the information, but how to apply the knowledge. I think that by serving for the last 12 years, my knowledge of how a municipal government works is a huge advantage. It is totally different from the corporate world.
Of course, one of the best ways to get started is by attending the UNC-School of Government “mini-government” school within the first couple of months on the job. The biggest lesson is learning to be a team player. We all have to work together, even when we disagree, we are always eager to hear others opinions or ideas.
Some candidates think that serving on the board is a two meeting-a-month commitment – not true. Each commissioner will be assigned to serve on one of the advisory boards as the ad hoc Town representative. These meetings are very important – to the citizens serving – to the Town because of their advice. Each commissioner has the responsibility to share information with the ABs in order for them to make informed decisions. There are usually two board retreats per year. Plus many, many more Town events.
I am passionate about Wake Forest. I have been here for 32 years and have watched all the changes – development-traffic-more shopping options. My observations are that YES we have grown, and NO it isn’t just in one area of town. We have gone from 5,000 people to 45,000+. Big difference – but, we have such a beautiful, historic town. People like to volunteer and be involved; greenways and parks that are the best in the region. We are working to make our community a true Life/Work/Play community. I am asking you to vote for me on Tuesday, November 5. Polls are open from 6:30 am-7:30 pm.
It is always important to vote – at ALL elections. Remember ANNE REEVE -NOVEMBER 5.
Chad Sary
Members of the board of commissioners should share important traits such as the ability to listen respectfully and weigh differing opinions. A determination to look at what’s best for the community and the willingness to devote their time. During the Chamber of Commerce’s Candidates Forum, I quoted Condoleezza Rice who once said that “there’s no greater challenge and there is no greater honor than to be in public service.” Being involved in local government most of my professional career, I could not agree with that statement more.
I decided to run for commissioner simply because Wake Forest is my home, I am committed to this community, and want to play an active role in making sure this is a great place now and for our future generations. I have no political agenda, no axe to grind, and if elected this will probably be the only political office I will hold.
Whether it was planting trees at Arbor Day, speaking to a civic club, coaching youth sports, or volunteering at my church, it’s always been very important to me to be an active member of the town I live in. Being a commissioner would be a way for me to give back to the town that has supported and encouraged me and my family for the past two decades.
The company I work for uses the word T.H.R.E.A.D. as an acronym that serves as our motto – it stands for Trust, Humility, Respect, Excellence, Accountability and Discipline. I believe in those things and they all should be characteristics we all strive for and particularly members of the board of commissioners. I conduct myself with integrity and commitment and I intend to be true to those values in all that I do for the town.
Over the past seven weeks I have answered many questions about my views on our town and it’s future. I am an experienced public servant, community volunteer, 16-plus-year resident of Wake Forest and believer in balanced and sustainable growth. While no one person can be 100 percent qualified to be a town commissioner, I do possess the background to guide our planning and development efforts, have a firm grasp of local government and understand our town’s culture and history.
Please consider casting your vote for me on November 5th so that I can apply my knowledge and experience to work hard for you.
Sean Sullivan
I want to thank the Wake Forest Gazette for giving the candidates the opportunity to use this platform and to also thank the readers for taking the time to review each candidate and their positions on various topics. Thanks for taking the time to be involved and to understand the importance of local elections.
I am not a politician or a public speaker or someone who needs (or wants) to be in the public spotlight. I am a numbers person and a people person. My experience and career are in accounting and human resources. Over several decades in the payroll profession, I have been directly responsible for the management and allocation of over one billion dollars. Each dollar has been and needs to be accounted for. While the employee may take home their net pay, allocations of their salaries go to federal and state taxes, Social Security, Medicare, retirement plans, pension plans, health insurance, and other voluntary in involuntary payroll deductions.
I understand income statements, balance sheets, cash flows, journal entries and accruals. I am involved in internal and external audits, mergers and acquisitions, budget planning, project management and reconciliations.
Additionally, I am also familiar with the human side of financial issues. It is estimated over 75 percent of American workers live paycheck to paycheck. Employees routinely call me with concerns about changes to their net pay. Town Board members need to always be aware of how any financial decision impacts each and every resident; not only for today but over the next 20 years as well. Fiscal responsibility is not only important for all of us on a personal level, but it’s even more far reaching on a corporate and municipal level due to the downstream effects of those decisions.
Wake Forest is growing and property values are increasing; this translates into increased revenue for the town. As a town board commissioner, my focus will be to work to ensure these increased revenues will be more than enough to continue to successfully manage our town and any additional tax increases will not be necessary.
I thank you for the opportunity to run for town board commissioner, and I hope to receive your vote on Tuesday, November 5, 2019.
Sean Sullivan
Campaign for Common Cents
Adam Wright
Thank you, everyone, for taking the time to learn about all of our campaigns over the past few weeks. As we enter the last few days of this campaign season, it is now up to you to decide which direction you want to see the town go. If you are frustrated with the way growth has been handled and want to have a board member that is not a rubber stamp for the developers, then I am your candidate. I know that it will not be easy and that we cannot and should not stop all growth. However, I want to try to find ways to be smarter about managing the growth as it does come. I am asking for your vote on November 5th.
