The Town of Shallotte operates under the Council-Mayor form of Government. The Board consists of a Mayor and five Aldermen. The Mayor and Aldermen are elected at-large in non-partisan elections for four-year staggered terms in odd-numbered years.The Mayor is the chief elected official of the Town. The Mayor presides at all meetings of the Board.
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Position/philosophy statement
Participating in local government is an honor and a privilege. Decisions made at this level typically have the most immediate and direct impact on the lives of the residents of their community and must be addressed in a serious and thoughtful manner
Current Occupation
Retired
Age (optional)
77
Campaign Phone
(910)232-2093
My professional background, which includes administrative, personnel management and collective bargaining experience in the public sector in addition to having served the Town of Shallotte as a member of the Planning Board and as an Alderman (current incumbent) provides me with both local governance experience and a clear perspective of the ongoing issues confronting the Town of Shallotte.
As a resident of Shallotte since 2006 I have witnessed the growth and transformation of the community and understand and respect the perspective of longer-term residents who are concerned about the consequences of growth.
The first, and most difficult, challenge is finding a balance between the inevitable growth of the community and preserving its local character.
The second challenge is in finding a way to address the issue of traffic congestion on roads that were laid out when Shallotte was a rural community and is now largely residential and commercial. This challenge is compounded by the lack of State and County attention and funding for this purpose.
The third challenge is to be able to continue to anticipate and budget for the needs for essential services at a time of growth and inflationary forces while maintaining control over property taxes.
It is said that we are given one mouth and two ears to listen twice as much as we speak. That said, listening carefully and balancing competing interests is the first and foremost requirement of an elected official. From my experience as a member of the Shallotte Planning Board and as a currently serving Alderman this is accomplished for all issues through advance preparation when considering materials submitted for consideration, listening carefully to public input, and weighing all of these factors within the legal framework of the governing documents.
I purchase property in Shallotte in 2000 and moved here permanently in 2006. Shallotte is home. Since then, Shallotte has changed. Change with growth is inevitable; how that change is managed is the key to preserving the essential nature of a community.
Several years ago, during a public hearing on an issue, a colleague on the Board of Aldermen said something that went like this: "The best way to honor the history of Shallotte is in how we prepare for its future."
That is the standard to determine how to function as an elected official.
