7) What role does an individual council member have in promoting economic development?
Mayor
James David (Pete) O’Geary (no incumbent in race): No response submitted.
Jeanne Hight (no incumbent in race): I BELIEVE THAT ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR NEED TO BE INFORMED ABOUT ANY AND ALL INFORMATION CONCERNING BUSINESS AND INDUSTRIES LOOKING TO COME TO HENDERSON. WHEN I WAS ON THE COUNCIL FOUR YEARS AGO I WAS NOT INFORMED OF ANY OF THIS INFORMATION. THE CITY MANAGER AT THAT TIME DID NOT TELL ME ANYTHING CONCERNING ANY BUSINESS. HE MAY HAVE TOLD SOME OF THE OTHER MEMBERS. AT THAT TIME AS WELL AS NOW I HAVE AL WAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ECONOMICAL DEVELOPMENT. SO MUCH SO THAT I CALLED A MAN WHO WAS THE HEAD OF ECONOMICAL DEVELOPMENT IN HIS TOWN. I ASKED HIM WHERE DO YOU START LOOKING FOR A NEW BUSINESS? HE TOLD ME THAT HE DIDN’T HAVE TO GO OUT AND LOOK THAT THE STATE OF N.C. SENT THEM ALL OF THE CRITERIA THAT HE NEEDED AND THAT THEY SENT THIS INFORMATION TO ALL THE CITIES WHEN A NEW BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY WAS PLANNING TO MOVE TO NORTH CAROLINA. I’M SURE YOU CAN IMAGINE MY SURPRISE TO HAVE THIS INFORMATION. I CAN’T HELP BUT THINK HOW MANY BUSINESS AND INDUSTRIES WANTED TO COME TO HENDERSON BUT WERE NEVER CHECKED OUT. IT’S JUST A THOUHT.
Ward 1
Mary Emma Evans (Incumbent): No response submitted.
George W. King, Sr. (Challenger): Well, I feel that a council member should continue to research information, take in mind how the people feel and give support toward the issues that support growth in this area.
Ward 1 At Large
Bernard Alston (Incumbent): No response submitted.
Sara Coffey (Challenger): A council member needs to be receptive and open minded to new economic strategies and partners. They need to evaluate opportunities while keeping the overall well being of the community in mind. They need to focus their energies on improving the quality of life within the city and surrounding county.
Ward 2
Bobby Gupton (Incumbent): Every citizen should be involved in economic development. The city’s role is providing the infrastructure necessary to support an industry that wants to locate in our city or county. This includes coming up with a realistic land use plan, supporting the building of schools, reducing our outrageously high tax rate, adequate water supply, sewers that work. This will require the full effort and support of our city and county leaders.
Mike Rainey (Challenger): No response submitted.
Ward 2 At Large
Lynn Harper (Incumbent): An individual council member definitely has a role in economic development. He/she should:
support issues that will make the environment in the city better for economic development. For example, supporting all methods to ensure decent, safe housing for all Citizens, reductions in crime, and an efficient sewer system that has capacity for new business–are all ways to improve the economic development environment in our city.
support the Manager in his insistence that the City’s products and services be maintained and improved through budgeted funds and the work of the departments.
support the City’s efforts to learn everything possible about new trends in economic development and what other cities are doing to make their environment better for economic development.
support any local individuals who start their own business by buying from them and reminding other folks to buy from them. When my husband and I started Harperprints in 1974, the main thing we looked for was customers to buy printing.
support the Vance County Tourism Authority and its programs because a visitor to our area for a fishing tournament or to the Car Show just might decide to move his business to our area. I am a director of the Tourism Authority.
support collaborative efforts with the Vance County Commissioners, the Economic Development Commission, the Directors of the “HUB,” the Kerr Lake Regional Council of Governments, the Henderson-Vance Economic Development Partnership that are in alignment with the goals of the Citizens.
Michael Inscoe (Challenger): No response submitted.
Ward 3
Garry Daeke (Incumbent): I think each council member is a representative of the city and community, and our job is to put our best foot forward and represent the community in a positive manner. Our representation of our city to State and Federal representatives is key to our ability to engage them in the issues that face Henderson and Vance County.
Frank Terry (Challenger): No response submitted.
Ward 3 At Large
Brenda Peace (Challenger): No response submitted.
Elissa Yount (Incumbent): First let me remind the readers of all the places our tax dollars already go to for economic development and job growth for our area: The North Carolina Department of Commerce, a complete division of state government fully staffed; Economic Development Commission for Henderson and Vance County which has a full time staff; Research Triangle Partnership of which we have been a member for 13 years; Council of Governments which has a full time staff and for which the city pays around $8000 per year not including what they get in state taxes; Vance Granville Community College which has small business and industrial training; Rural Center of NC which has a full time staff; Employment Security Commission which has a full time staff; Henderson Vance Downtown Development Commission to which the city contributes around $56,000 yearly; Other places that are charged with promoting economic development are the Golden Leaf Foundation which has a full time staff; our Chamber of Commerce; and, finally the HUB project which has received earmarks from the state legislature.
Now to answer the question: What is my role, as an elected city official in promoting economic development? First, I can and do promote and support the businesses we already have in our city. I can and do attend conferences and workshops to network, listen and learn. I can and do continue to promote our city in a professional and inclusive way. I can and do work on a state and regional committee to bring the high speed rail to Henderson. I can and do speak positively about our schools and our graduates from first-hand knowledge. I can and do attend the meetings of the Kerr Lake Regional Water Advisory to look after the future water needs of Henderson. I can and do promote the wonderful tourism opportunities in our region wherever I travel and with whomever I speak.
Last year the NC Rural Economic Development Center put out a study entitled, Back on Track. It is a publication of 16 practices to help dislocated workers, businesses, and communities. Here we can learn and emulate Pillowtex. When this company folded, they had a plan and put it into effect immediately to help those out of work. This was done right here in North Carolina using resources available to us in Henderson. We can learn from others and get the same help they got if we are on top of things. We can also promote the practice of our local company, Holland Supply, who with employee ownership, created and spread wealth and kept the company in Henderson. We should tell everyone across the state of their success. We must think progressively by fostering entrepreneurial initiatives, generating think-tanks, and working to bring wireless connectivity to our region. We need to plan for 30 years down the road and stop doing things just because that is the way we have always done them.
As a council person I can work to protect the living standard and curb downward mobility by working to create home ownership in low-wealth families to break the crippling cycle of poverty. I can work to get our taxes, infrastructure, ETJ, commercial buildings, zoning regulations, and land planning to be the best it can be. I can work to create a policy on incentives so we do not promise what we will not do. I can contribute to a business retention plan to show existing firms the value their business has to Henderson. I can continue to work on having a clean, attractive, safe city where everyone is valued.
I resent the negative implication and accusations from positions of power and prestige in our community that charge that our council and specific individual council members are not involved in economic development. I know that if a company were ready to locate in Henderson, and the city had continued to ignore its sewer needs, this same faction in the community would be condemning the council for not getting the city ready for job growth. One part of economic development that some have overlooked in Henderson is the social development component of economic development. Some things that count cannot be counted. We have to change our image and present an inclusive, progressive, creative, and innovative community to outsiders if we want them to locate in Henderson. This picture is shown through our policies, practices, and philosophies as well as our assets. This is one very important part of economic development that counts.
Finally, I can work to make all those government agencies that I mentioned at the first of my answer–all those agencies that should be working on this problem for Henderson — accountable for producing results because we are all paying them to do this job.
Ward 4
Horace P. Bullock (Challenger): No response submitted.
Lonnie Davis (Incumbent): No response submitted.
Ward 4 At Large
George Daye (Challenger): No response submitted.
Lora Durham (Challenger): No response submitted.
Ranger Wilkerson (Incumbent): Council members should be a supporter of economic development – working as a team, along with the City Economic Development Commission.