BY DEBBIE PAGE
Troutman Mayor Pro Tem Jerry Oxsher is seeking re-election to the Troutman Council to continue his quest for transparency and to give thoughtful examination and ask probing questions on issues before the council.
Oxsher, who is married to wife Fiona, has lived in Troutman for 10 years, growing a family and a popular German restaurant since his arrival. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Professional Chemistry from Middle Tennessee State University and Master of Science in Chemistry from the University of South Carolina.
He began his career as an adjunct chemistry professor and then moved into the private sector where he worked as a field service engineer for many years. The couple’s entrepreneurial spirit led them to open their own business.
“After some trial and error and many life lessons, we now own a small restaurant in the heart of Troutman, which allows me to be present for the community,” he said.
Oxsher said his most important skill is problem-solving. “As a scientist and as a parent, I have been trained to tackle and solve problems that do not have a clear answer,” he said. “I feel that this ability to think outside the box and consider all angles has helped facilitate meaningful discussions among the council and helped point us towards the best decision for the citizens of Troutman.”
ON GROWTH
When considering commercial and industrial projects, Oxsher cautions that community impacts should be carefully weighed.
“We must be careful who and how we look to attract larger sectors to our town. There are many unhappy people in our area regarding a certain data center. The Strategic Master Plan and the UDO are crucial instruments to help steer the types of development that will bring benefit to all citizens.
“In order to attract the types of businesses that our area needs, we must first get our house in order. Our town is currently under a building moratorium to address our infrastructure needs,” he added.
Oxsher wants to create an environment to attract the commercial projects that will provide the services, restaurants, and entertainment community members desire.
“We cannot just put an “open for business” sign at the town limits and expect the businesses we need to show up. We have to create the environment where they can flourish.”
“The Council sees this and has moved in this direction by investing in properties in our downtown area. A lot of work has gone into improvements along Wagner, and the first new businesses in the rehabilitated area will be opening in the near future,” he said.
The town has acquired a number of properties in the last five years.
The town itself is also in dire need of additional space. “We didn’t just now outgrow Town Hall; we outgrew it many years ago.”
Purchasing several former residences near Town Hall “helped us more quickly catch up with our growing need for space while saving millions by not building from scratch.”
The town is currently in the process of buying the Keystone Powdered Metal facility next to ESC Park for a new Town Hall. “The land surrounding these facilities, including the facilities themselves, open up many opportunities for the town to grow our Parks and Recreation Department and begin to offer services that we do not currently have.”
“In the past, the town had considered purchasing land and building a new Town Hall from the ground up. While this would have given the town complete control over the building’s design, ever-rising land and construction costs makes this untenable.”
“The fiscally responsible decision was to utilize and repurpose one of the existing empty facilities. The council is currently moving forward with this option to save tens of millions of dollars, as well as expedite moving departments into the newer facilities much more quickly.”
Other property acquisitions were to prepare for the future Lytton Street connection to Wagner Street and the rerouting of the Wagner Street intersection with Main Street as part of the town’s Strategic Master Plan.
Oxsher said the town’s Unified Development Ordinance and Master Plan must be updated to better reflect the town’s current nature and needs. “These tools can help steer growth in a better direction. This requires foresight on future needs, as well as the current needs of the citizens.”
The town “can use updated versions of our UDO, Strategic Master Plan, and Future Land Use Map to set up the proper guard rails for developers who wish to come,” he added.
Oxsher also supports the council lengthening the timeline to approve residential developments, as some other municipalities do, to several public readings and discussions over a period of months to carefully consider all consequences and benefits and to allow for more public input.
“I absolutely agree with this. At times, especially with dealing with larger projects and developments, the process can feel a bit rushed.”
ADDRESSING INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS
“Infrastructure needs are my first priority,” said Oxsher. “The cart has been in front of the horse for too long. We have been able to identify, through working with our neighboring municipalities, several issues with our current systems.”
“We are utilizing firms like Kimley-Horn to help facilitate these changes in a timely manner. We are moving as quickly as we can, and I would like to continue my efforts to help push these improvements along.”
Oxsher said the town is currently moving forward with plans to not only correct past mistakes that have been made regarding the sewer system to bring it up to current capacity needs and also ensure that the improvements can handle the future growth coming from new customers.
“The days of simply applying a band-aid has come to an end. The town and current council are currently working towards updating and improving our Water and Sewer Master Plan. I believe that the only way that we will be able to control our own destiny is by having water and sewer treatment facilities of our own.”
“We have to ensure that our water and sewer systems, as well as our facilities and roads are not just updated to the modern era but are prepared to carry us into the future.
“We have to address both the short-term and the long-term situations under the current moratorium. In the short-term, we must foster better relationships with those around us, ensure open lines of communication, and carry our own weight.”
“There are several variables here. To address our immediate needs, I currently serve on our new Water and Sewer Advisory Committee, and as Mayor Pro-Tem I signed our current moratorium into place.”
The moratorium, he said, was the “only answer” to dealing with issues created by rampant growth.
“Our Town is larger than just the Council Chambers. We must make an active effort to work more closely with our neighboring municipalities, our current service providers, and the developers that can assist with the upgrades that we need,” he said. “We cannot just sit and beg for capacity. We must take action and work with our neighbors, not just wait on a handout.”
TRANSPARENCY AND BUILDING COMMUNITY IDENTITY
To promote better transparency, Oxsher wants to make improvements in the town’s audio and visual equipment in the near future. “It should not be a chore to watch a town meeting on YouTube.”
As a business owner in the community, Oxsher feels that the best thing council members can offer is their presence. “We must be present and engaging in our community if we are to keep our pulse on the needs and concerns of the citizens,” he said. “I am easily approachable, I love to chat, but I am also willing to have the difficult conversations.”
Owning a restaurant in town has really helped Oxsher engage with community members from all walks of life as well as the gain the perspective of those who live in nearby areas.
As the parents of two very active children, the Oxshers engage in youth sports and arts programs, which provide a great opportunity to engage with community members of all ages.
“Our town park has proven to be a great place to meet and interact with people, and the recent additions of pickleball and basketball are a testament to what the Parks and Recreation Department has been able to do with that space,” he said. “You can often find me there with my wife and kids!”
If Troutman received a multi-million dollar windfall grant, Oxsher would choose practicality.
“I wish I could give a “cool” answer here, but I would immediately apply it towards a sewer treatment facility,” he explained.
“If we didn’t have this immediate need, I would love to somehow use these funds to help Troutman re-establish an identity. We lost the Front Porch Festival, and our new motto of “Enjoy Lake Norman… Naturally” receives a lot of criticism on social media.”
“A unique, significant festival or event could help our town reforge an identity.”
The council is finalizing plans for ESC Park improvements, including state-of-the-art lighting to increase availability but also to attract a variety of tournaments and festivals.
Oxsher would also like to bring more local entertainment opportunities. “I would also love to see the addition of an amphitheater,” he said.
TRAFFIC
Oxsher concedes that growth has impacted traffic, especially on Main Street.
“The state initially had plans to widen Main Street; however, those plans have been cancelled. There is very little that can be done unilaterally by the town on state-owned roads.”
“The town must work closely with the developers, along with NCDOT, to ensure that upgrades can be made to crucial intersections, to introduce more and larger turn lanes, and to align Houston Road and Flower House Loop.”
“These steps can have a large impact on the largest pinch points in town,” he said.
Oxsher also favors enhancing pedestrian options. “Our greenway is a true treasure, and any opportunity to expand or improve the walkability of our town should be taken,” he said.
“These improvements can be paid for through various grants, as well as working with developers that wish to build in our town.”
FIRST-TERM ACCOMPLISHMENTS
During his first term, Oxsher has consistently voted against the Town’s annual budget.
“I feel that we can be more transparent with where the money goes and what it is being spent on,” he said. “I was also against the Wakefield development that will effectively double the size of our town, which is one of the factors that has created our current sewer issues.”
The council, he said, has made some strides.
“With the hard work of the town staff, we have been able to make several necessary changes to town policies and our Unified Development Ordinance, with a full UDO overhaul in the works,” he said. “We have made strides to increase the services and facilities we can offer the public by relocating Town Hall, which will also give us a proper police station (in the current Town Hall) as well.”
“We have plans to increase the footprint of our park, as well as adding more amenities for the citizens,” he added.
It would be an honor, he said, to serve for four more years.
VOTING INFORMATION
Voters must show an acceptable photo ID when they check in at their voting site during early voting or on Election Day.
The deadline to register is 25 days before Election Day. Registration forms are available at www.iredellcountync.gov/162/Elections.
To request an absentee ballot, go to https://votebymail.ncsbe.gov/app/home.
Early Voting
In person early voting for the county’s municipal elections begins Thursday, October 16, and ends Saturday, November 1. The two locations for early voting are Iredell County Board of Elections, 203 Stockton Street, Statesville, and War Memorial, 220 N Maple Street, Mooresville.
Election Day Voting
On November 4, Troutman voters unsure of which precinct their residence is in can use this link Voter Precinct Info and enter the voter name and select “Iredell County” to determine their voting location.
The Fallstown precinct is at the Career Academy and Technical School (CATS) meeting room at 350 Old Murdock Road.
The Barringer precinct is at Wesley Chapel Church at 579 Weathers Creek Road.
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