This week the two candidates for mayor and the five for town commissioner were asked to respond to this question.
Our growing population needs a variety of jobs so it is important to attract different industries or businesses to town. The town has an economic development department and also contracts with the Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce to help attract businesses and industry.
* How would you address attracting businesses or industry to town?
*How would you address attracting new shops and restaurants in downtown?
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The two candidates for mayor responded:
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Commissioner Bridget Wall-Lennon responded:
As a third-generation entrepreneur, and raising a fourth-generation entrepreneur, I understand the challenges facing our small businesses. And as the backbone on our economy, workers and small businesses are the first impacted and sometimes the last to be considered when decisions are being made. Just as there are challenges, there are certainly opportunities connected with starting and growing a business. With this special insight, I will lead Wake Forest in working to maintain and attract quality businesses to our town creating jobs and economic development.
Working with regional, state, national and international government agencies to join in efforts to bring businesses and industry is a path to opportunities for Wake Forest. Many of our residents travel away from town for work. It would be a tremendous benefit to work and live in Wake Forest. Maintaining and building inclusive relationships, listening and hearing my constituents, involving town personnel in conversations, are the ingredients to producing an environment that businesses want to be a part of, and citizens want and will support.
For most of my life, career and personal, I have been involved in business. Serving in a managerial position in state government coupled with being a business owner, my 25 plus years of experience in public service and private sector is the prelude to me seeking elected office. I was responsible for setting up the Historically Underutilized Businesses Office (HUB), at that time a new division in the NC Department of Administration that I managed for 14 years. I was elected to the Wake Forest Board of Commissioner in 2017. My public service career has been centered around inclusion and helping marginalized communities develop businesses. I have partnered with various statewide and national organizations, government officials, majority, and public- sector organizations. This experience has helped me to become effective in coalition building, public policy, and governance.
Part of our town’s appeal is the quaint, friendly, hometown atmosphere. This community environment combined with the conveniences that support our lifestyles are compelling reasons for people to make Wake Forest home. This is the same motivation for businesses. However, obstacles can deter potential businesses from starting and becoming successful. Making sure that interested entrepreneurs understand the town’s process of establishing businesses in downtown
is a way to encourage them and minimize potential pitfalls. Infrastructure that supports our town’s citizens and businesses is crucial for continued prosperity.
As mayor, I will work with all administrative departments for ways to enhance the experience of citizens, visitors and businesses.
Mayor Vivian Jones responded:
First of all, the Town no longer contracts with the Chamber for economic development.
Of course, I do still work with the Chamber to welcome new businesses and address any concerns or ways the Town can assist new businesses coming in. Making our Town easy to work with in setting up a business is important. We were recently told by the Triangle Community Coalition that we were one of the easiest towns to work with in the Triangle—kudos to our staff!
As important as it is to get new businesses, it is just as important to keep the businesses we have. Business retention is extremely important and I have always worked to support local businesses and make sure we are giving them what they need to thrive. I have been a big supporter of the WRC in their work launching new businesses. I work with and support Wake Forest Downtown. Together we let potential businesses know that Wake Forest welcomes them and the mayor and the Town will assist them in every way possible.
We have a great community and our residents are very supportive of our local businesses. Wake Forest is a wonderful place to live, play and work and I am constantly and consistently spreading that message throughout the Triangle.
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The five candidates for the town board responded:
Nick Sliwinski responded:
As Commissioner, I would make sure that commercial zoning remains commercial except in instances where the rezoning fits with our Community Plan. This, along with the Unified Development Ordinance, is the blueprint that we need to follow in order to ensure that we can maintain the character that already makes Wake Forest a desirable place for businesses. The concern is with the rezoning of property that ultimately reduces where commercial development can take place.
Our downtown is one of the defining characteristics of Wake Forest. We need to continue to support our local business owners and help them grow. To expand our downtown, we can explore more projects like Powerhouse Row, combining commercial and residential space. The key will be expanding access to downtown. With the growing population, Wake Forest needs to ensure that these businesses have adequate parking and other infrastructure. Regardless of how many people are in Wake Forest, if we do not address limited parking and aging infrastructure, there is no opportunity for local businesses to benefit from any increased population.
Commissioner Liz Simpers responded:
I am on the board for the Wake Forest Business and Industry Partnership, and I will say that under the leadership of Jason Cannon, the town is doing a great job of attracting larger businesses. The Loading Dock project, as an example, will bring entrepreneurs into downtown Wake Forest and boost our downtown businesses as well. The hope is that those ideas will grow and create even more jobs in our town!
Wake Forest has a lot of key industry leaders that are doing great things for our emerging workforce as well. Superior Tooling, as an example, hosts NCTAP (North Carolina Triangle Apprenticeship Program) students with on-the-job training, education expenses, and employment.
I am also on the board for Wake Forest Downtown (WFD). This non-profit group has a mission to “champion economic healthy, growth, and vitality of downtown Wake Forest.” The WFD board continues to innovate and bring people together. During the pandemic last year, we created the Spirits of Wake Forest Halloween walking tour and every tour sold out! We are running it again this year and all the tours have already sold out.
Food and beverage options really does bring people downtown and keeps them shopping downtown. In my past four years on the Board of Commissioners, we have seen the game-changing additions of Norse Brewing, Unwined on White, Plant Cakes Bake Shop, Bodega, the Burger Shop, Tonic, and Strike and Barrel. These businesses have been built on the shoulders of downtown legends like Shorty’s, Over the Falls, and White Street Brewing Company to name a few.
Lastly, we all realize we have traffic problems! Our neighbors in Heritage feel that maybe more than anyone else daily. Local job creation means less commuters traveling out of town for work. Now that is a win-win for all of us!
Patrick Griffin responded:
I would address attracting businesses to Wake Forest by preserving, conserving, and efficiently utilizing our mixed-use development and commercial footprint. We are fortunate enough to know that the large tech companies are on their way to the triangle so what will follow are the small businesses that like the remoras catch a ride on the shark’s belly creating that symbiotic relationship for both the shark and the remora. By allocating our commercial/mixed use space in the most efficient manner possible this presents the opportunity for startups to come in. These companies can, in some instances, produce the same type salaries on average as the big tech companies they serve! An example of efficiently utilizing that mixed-use space would be “Live, work, and play communities” where people do just that- they live, work, and spend free time in that designated space. Many areas in our state and the country have moved towards higher utilization of mixed-use development space. Restaurants, breweries, startups, co-working/incubator spaces on the ground level and 2-4 stories of residential space above. This cross pollination of different industries in close proximity will only yield a stronger and more diverse economic environment. Not to mention strategic placement of mixed-use development can re-route traffic flow and serve as an ancillary benefit for those who do not frequent those parts of town!
As far as pure commercial development is concerned a real-life example comes to mind. In my job at 1-800 Water Damage we have the opportunity to work with some of our local businesses here in Wake Forest. One of those businesses shared with me their figures and what they produce annually. It was in the range of $10 million per year and this company occupies roughly 10,000 feet of commercial space. The gross profit that company makes compared to a big box store that is simply the middleman is significantly higher. 10 of these companies would yield $100 million in revenue per year compared to a lower profit margin big box store that sends all of its revenue back to the west coast or wherever (Not Wake Forest). This is another example of why we need to preserve, conserve, and efficiently utilize our commercial footprint. With the talent coming from the Universities we have around the corner, the big tech giants, and our town saving space for commercial development we are drafting a blueprint for success!
With my ideas for mixed-use development there would be no concern for how to attract businesses or restaurants to downtown. Mixed-use developments would have a plethora of businesses and restaurants knocking down the door to get in. When you have an area with 200-400 people who are constantly circulating in that area the demand takes care of itself. Basically “If you build it… They will come!”
Michael Molinaro responded:
Michael Molinaro did not respond to these questions.
Keith Shackleford responded:
The Town should continue to work with the Chamber of Commerce on attracting business or industry. I am not creating the wheel here. Experts in this area suggest many things. Here are some that standout. Create and maintain a dashboard showing critical, objective metrics, keeping it current and accessible to citizens, businesses, and investors. We need a consistent and unique selling point that is used by the Chamber, the Town and other local entities focused on economic development. We need to attract and develop a younger workforce to live and work in Wake Forest. The last one is my favorite. Elect and appoint leaders who put Wake Forest first. Our leaders must listen to new ideas and make doing business here possible. When appropriate we need to lower the obstacles to doing business in Wake Forest.
If we want to attract new businesses to downtown, we need to attract the customers too or least make our part of the customer experience top-notched. The streetscape improvements completed over the last 15 years are a large part of that experience. Ample parking is a major factor in attracting more shops and restaurants to downtown. We need a true bus stop for the downtown area. We need to encourage people to use the bus to get downtown for our large events. We have several historic buildings along White Street that lend themselves to being restaurants. One of the issues is the cost of compliance to the current building codes. Upfitting a historic building to become a restaurant is very expensive. The Town may be able to offer some assistance through grants or low interest, short term loans to assist with the upfit. The more thriving restaurants and shops downtown the more downtown will become what we envision. The Town should continue to staff a Downtown Development Manager and support Wake Forest Downtown, Inc. Attracting business and industry to Wake Forest and shops and restaurants to downtown should be collaborative effort. We are stronger together.
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The Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting a candidates’ forum in the Renaissance Centre on Thursday, Oct. 7, and has invited the two candidates for mayor of Wake Forest and the five candidates for town commissioner. The forum is sponsored by Wake Electric Membership Corporation, The Wake Weekly and the Knightdale-Wake Forest Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
The public is invited to this free event that will last from 6 to 8 p.m.
Each candidate will have five minutes to state who they are, what their positions are, and why people should vote for them. After each candidate has spoken, there will be a few questions from the moderator.
At 7, the candidates will go to their respective tables in the back of the hall so constituents can meet with them one-on-one. The event will wrap up at 8.
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Wake Forest voters will elect a mayor and two commissioners on Nov. 2.
Friday, Oct. 8, at 5 p.m. is the last day to register for new voters in this election. You can register to vote at the Wake County Board of Elections website and also request a vote by mail ballot.
The Gazette was wrong in stating that there is no early voting for this election. There is early voting but not in Wake Forest. Instead, on or after Thursday, Oct. 14, voters can go to the Wake County Board of Elections Office at 1200 N. New Hope Road, Raleigh, NC 27610 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. any weekday. The telephone is 919-404-4040.
Go to Wakegov.com, click on Departments and then on Board of Elections for full information about voting by mail and the election.
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