BY DEBBIE PAGE

Five Statesville mayoral hopefuls and two Ward 3 candidates for the City Council shared their views on a number of issues facing the community during a candidates forum on Tuesday night. The event was hosted by the Iredell County Democratic Party, the African-American Caucus, and the Democratic Women of Iredell County. Jennifer Christian served as the moderator.

Kristina Madison Pfeufer is running unopposed for the Ward 2 seat and did not attend.

Iredell Democratic Party Chair Beth Kendall explained that each candidate would have a three-minute opening statement, six minutes to answer three questions (one for all candidates and two drawn from a hat), and a one-minute closing statement.

All questions were given to the candidates in advance.

Candidates were sequestered while others answered questions in front of community members. Written responses to all questions will also be available electronically for those interested. The full forum and contact information can be viewed HERE.

Ward 3 Candidates

♦ Doris Allison: The incumbent councilwoman said that she was grateful to be vying for her third term. The mother of three and grandmother of six asked the audience of about 75 people to look at her body of work and vote for her so she could continue her journey. She said her top priorities were to help Statesville grow and to protect the welfare of the community.

Allison said that she would not shy away from challenges and would help the city invest in the future so citizens would be proud of Statesville. She advocated for peaceful, diverse neighborhoods where people have opportunities to accomplish many things in a world that is not always fair.

As Allison was answering a question on affordable housing and increasing median wages, she was overtaken by illness and unable to finish her presentation, but she asked people again to look at her work before she left, escorted by concerned friends.

Kendall announced at the end of the forum that she had a call indicating that Allison was being evaluated at the emergency room.

♦ Corina Iyoob: Iyoob has lived in Statesville since 2017. In her work at Iredell County Development Services, she daily works to identify problems and develop solutions and systems to improve productivity and revenue. Iyoob wants to bring this mindset to the city government.

She named three main goals she would pursue if elected. She wants the city to modernize its services and move to the digital realm, where the city would research and create its own data and keep up with technology innonvations.

Iyoob also wants to support local entrepreneurs with micro loans and grants to start businesses targeted as needed through the city’s data, such as daycares, restaurants, and entertainment options. She added that investing in businesses, using data-driven selection, makes good sense.

She also wants to improve the city’s pedestrian infrastructure, particularly on the Southside, to create safer neighborhoods as well as contributing to better health and community connections.

Over the next five years, Iyoob said she would work to create trust with constituents by being transparent and data driven. She believes citizens should be able to go online and see where their tax money is going as well as check on the progress of ongoing city projects.

She believes that citizens should have an easy way to navigate city departments to get the information or services that they need. She wants citizens to feel connected to each other and to the city and to build opportunities for everyone.

Iyoob believes that successful neighborhoods are safe and have sidewalks, crosswalks, and easy routes to get to the places residents need to be. She also wants to promote connectivity, job opportunities through local businesses, and preserve neighborhoods’ unique character so that they have their own energy and “vibe.”

Attracting affordable housing for Statesville’s current median income of around $50,000 will require more multi-family type homes, including townhomes, duplexes, and other such structures, to be developed. She wants to increase the industrial sector and target entrepreneurs to open their own businesses in order to increase salaries and make owning a home more affordable.

To do this, she said that city policies must be guided by local data, not state or national numbers, and that the council must make decisions to reflect the reality on the ground locally to keep housing affordability in reach.

Mayoral Candidates

♦ William Morgan: A Statesville native, Morgan operates a wealth management firm in downtown Statesville. He has served on the city’s planning board and served two terms on the city council as well as serving as mayor pro tem. The city added $1 billion to the tax base during his council tenure, he said.

He currently serves on the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, which works to recruit industry, expand existing businesses, encourage small businesses, promote international trade, and support travel and tourism.

Morgan said he was running for mayor for the opportunity to serve the 30,000 people in the city and that he has the expertise to get the job done. He noted that with four new members coming onto the council, it will need his battle-tested experience to best serve the citizens of Statesville.

Morgan said his first priority will be to meet with department heads to understand their needs and vision for the city. He will also focus on economic development that is measured and sustainable. He noted that 16 percent of Statesville residents live below the poverty line, much higher than the 12 percent state average.

He sees many positives for Statesville, including its strong infrastructure, excellent central location at the crossroads of two interstates, and its low tax rate, all of which will attract businesses to raise economic opportunity for community members.

Over the next five years, Morgan wants the city to retain its small town charm while developing a vibrant economy where everybody has opportunities. He wants the city to be a safe place with diverse housing opportunities and an outstanding quality of life, including excellent shopping and dining choices. He wants to pursue carefully considered and measured growth to attract development that will enhance the city.

Morgan said his research revealed that the average home in Statesville costs $290,000, which he would not term “affordable.” After putting 20 percent down at the current 6.5 percent mortgage rate, the homeowner would have a $1,500 per month payment and need an income of $90,000 to be termed “affordable.”

Only strong economic growth and the addition of good paying jobs will help citizens bridge this affordability gap. Morgan also said that inflation has increased the housing crisis. Though interest rates are coming down, the effects will take time trickle down to stimulate the housing market. He also supported less onerous building regulations and incentivizing homebuilders to create housing options for all types of incomes.

Morgan closed by saying that North Carolina has been named the best state to do business in for three years in a row, and it’s time to bring some of that prosperity to Statesville. He believes that the city’s strengths will help it attract new business and industry and that the city’s challenges can be overcome when all work together

♦ Doug Hendrix: Hendrix moved to Statesville in 1989 when longtime resident Bill Long hired him to work at First Union bank, for which Hendrix said he owed Bill a debt of gratitude for bringing him to the city he loves and where he raised his two daughters.

Hendrix has 40 years of banking and finance experience to bring to the mayoral position. He also has deep involvement in the community, volunteering and serving over 20 local organizations. He said that winning the “Wilson W. Lee Make A Difference Award” from the NAACP was a memorable honor.

Hendrix wants to help the new council understand its responsibility to the community and to each other. He wants to promote respectful relationships and develop good communication despite differences.

He believes he can keep the council focused on the issues most impacting citizens, including growing their income, creating more affordable housing and making life more affordable. He believes that the city’s excellent location, expanding economy, great employers, and strong infrastructure will help the city thrive.

In five years, Hendrix said, that the 7,500 homes that have already been approved should be mostly built out, and he foresees new entertainment and retail will become viable once the city hits the requirements for the number of households and median income to make companies’ investments attractive.

Hendrix also sees more opportunities for the workforce to increase their salaries and benefits. He also wants to bring road improvements and continue building infrastructure to meet the growth.

With increasing revenues, Hendrix hopes to accelerate improvements. He believes that these next few years could be some of the most promising times that the city has ever seen.

Hendrix predicts most of the projects in the city’s $275 million five-year capital budget will be completed ahead of schedule to bring more equitable access to city parks, recreation facilities, and grocery stores.

More revenue also means more money for affordable housing, workforce development, school programs, expanding the downtown streetscape, and beautifying the gateways to the city.

Creeping north from Charlotte, the growth is intimidating, exciting, necessary, and inevitable, Hendrix said. He noted the southern end of the county grew very quickly and approved more residential development than commercial and industrial, which is causing some tax base issues.

Statesville must be different and pick and choose the best projects for the community, he said. Hendrix suggested updating the land use plan and adding additional expectations for developers, including requiring more green space, wider buffers, and a percentage of new residential developments dedicated to affordable housing.

The city’s infrastructure puts it in a unique position to succeed in one of the state’s fastest growing markets, and with the help of the Iredell Economic Development Corporation, the city can attract commercial development to benefit the community and its residents, he said.

Hendrix closed by saying that he was uniquely qualified to be mayor and has poured his heart into the community. He believes Statesville deserves a sincere leader who will work for all residents in a atmosphere of mutual respect and attention to the issues facing the city.

He also promised effective communication and assured citizens that their thoughts and concerns were always welcome.

♦ Brian Summers: After moving back to his hometown four years ago after several decades working in Washington, D.C. politics, Summers is running for mayor a second time. He said his family ties to the area date back to 1847. His love of history makes him appreciate the city’s past, and he takes Statesville in his heart wherever he goes, Summers said.

Summers believes Statesville is on the cusp of great things because of its people, and he pledged to do great things together with them. He believes the economy is moving in the right direction, and the city’s location and airport are two important assets.

Summers said he believes in small government and says that he will look for opportunities to grow the city’s economy while building bridges and relationships with colleagues and the community.

Summer said his first priority, if elected, would be to visit all six wards in the city to foster more effective communication. He wants to improve the city’s website to make it more customer friendly. He wants citizens to understand where their tax money goes and why taxes are raised.

Summers wants to get everyone involved in the opportunities that will come with growth and to harness all the talent existing in the city. He wants people to be ready for these new opportunities with a strong education.

Summers wants to take advantage of the Statesville airport, which is in close proximity to both I-40 and I-77, as an economic driver to attract shipping and logistic businesses that will bring increased tax revenue and good paying jobs.

Summers said that it would be an honor to serve as mayor in the place where he grew up because he was raised with the best people in the world. He wants to create an effective, small city government with low taxes, increased safety and a well-supported police department.

He also wants to develop literacy programs and services for children with special needs. He wants to be a champion for Statesville who will listen. The city’s people are its greatest asset, he said.

Summers also promised to be out in the community and the region championing Statesville with high energy and fresh ideas.

♦ Kim Wasson: Wasson is a sixth-generation Statesville resident who lives in Ward 1 near South Statesville. She is a real estate agent and small business owner who returned to Statesville after attending college and a short stint in Durham to raise her children.

When she first moved back, Wasson said the city had all it needed: including great shopping at the mall, movies, putt putt, and all kinds of entertainment. However, Wasson said things began to change in the city, and it lost its edge.

As mayor, she pledged to once again make Statesville the regional epicenter it once was.

She said her 25 years working at companies like Blue Cross/Blue Shield and International Paper on multimillion dollar accounts and her experience as director of Afterschool Programs for Iredell-Statesville Schools gives her a strong background to use as mayor.

Wasson also has a long history of service, currently working with organizations such as the Visitor and Convention Bureau, Charlotte Transportation Authority Board, the United Way housing program, NC Black Elected Officials, and Women in Municipal Government.

Her first priority will be economic development because good jobs, affordable housing, effective schools, and amenities such as parks are all wrapped up in economic development, Wasson said.

Wasson cited a surprising lack of economic development staff in the city government. She wants to work with the city manager and the council to create an economic development position to help Statesville attract commercial growth.

However, the city must focus on smart growth to avoid the problems that have plagued the southern end of the county. Wasson noted that in the last three years, the city has brought in 3,000 jobs with salaries at $55,000 or above.

Wasson believes that the city, located in the center of North Carolina at the intersection of I-77 and I-40, should be thriving. In five years, she hopes to see many new small and large businesses operating in the city, populated with young professionals enjoying a safe community with parks and recreation, a busy airport, and the best schools in the region.

New companies coming to the city should commit to hiring local residents and offering competitive salaries, according to Wasson. She believes companies should also invest in the city.

The economic development staff that Wasson hopes to add could ask for amenities to help the city meet its needs, such as adding park equipment, building greenways, or other quality of life additions.

Wasson hopes, as mayor, to help build a city where children get a strong education, go off to college, and return to Statesville to work and raise their families in a city that they are proud to call home.

♦ Rosetta Williams: Williams retired from 22-year nursing career to operate a retail store and a home renovation business in Raleigh as well as a school in Ghana. She has lived in Statesville for 15 years and wants to become mayor to make it a better place for her family and community.

William has served on Statesville’s planning board and worked in government affairs while living in Washington, D.C.

Williams wants to manage the growth and development and balance it with quality of life needs. She worries about the strain on the infrastructure with the expanding population, which is driven by the city’s location, low cost-of-living, and proximity to the Charlotte metro area.

William said the pace and nature of development is concerning, and she wants to preserve the small town feel. Though she concedes that all the development increases the tax base, she wants to ensure the benefits of the growth do not outpace the city’s ability to handle it.

Her motivation for running for mayor is her desire to engage in public service and to act on her love of the Statesville community. After living in D.C. for years, she enjoys the slower pace and peace of this small town and wants to protect its special character and ensure that the coming development benefits everyone.

Williams pledged to make sure that every voice is heard and to unify the community behind common goals, such as smart growth, managing development, improving public safety, addressing common concerns, supporting police, encouraging economic development, and developing a variety of housing options.

ELECTION INFO

Early voting for the Statesville municipal elections begins on October 16 at the Board of Elections office at 203 Stockton Street.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 4.

Residents must vote at their assigned polling places on Election Day. Polling place information and sample ballots are available at HERE.