Brian Summers

♦ Age: 55
♦ Address: P.O. Box 1003, Statesville
♦ Education: Iredell‑Statesville Schools; Fairleigh Dickinson University, B.A. in Political Science and History; George Washington University, School of Political Management, graduate degree.
♦ Professional Background: 31 years as a congressional staffer in the U.S. House and Senate; four years on White House staff (2004–2007).
♦ Civic Service: Appointed by the Department of Justice to represent the magistrate program; first African American president in 106 years of the Kiwanis Club of Statesville; Programs Director, Greater Statesville Rotary; Vice President, Iredell Friends of the Library; YMCA board member; Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation volunteer; founder, Ben’s Chili Bowl Foundation; Jesse Helms Center Board member at Wingate University.

Q&A

IFN: What motivated you to run for this office? If you are elected, what will your top three priorities be? What can the mayor ad council do to move the needle in these areas? 

SUMMERS: There is no greater opportunity or responsibility than to grow up in your hometown, be educated, and return to serve the place that gave you life, and for me, that place is Statesville. I left to learn, to gain experience in civic life and public service, and now I want to come home and put those lessons to work for the community I love. 

My top priority is stronger engagement across the city. I will take the mayor’s role beyond City Hall, meet residents where they live and work, and convene all six boards regularly so everyone understands the mayor’s responsibilities. I will act as a transparent liaison between the council, staff, and the mayor’s office and champion the issues residents care about.

Second, I will prioritize literacy and lifelong learning. As a library board member who grew up dyslexic, I know how transformative reading access can be.  I will create a Mayor’s Council on Literacy and install a Mayor’s Book of the Month at City Hall.

Third, I will establish Mayor’s Councils on Veterans Affairs and Seniors and create a permanent Mayor’s Youth Advisory to meet monthly with young people.

IFN: Voters want their elected officials to understand their lived experiences as they consider policy/budget decisions. Tell us about your family (spouse/partner; children/children; parents/grandparents) and how your family’s experiences in Statesville have shaped your views on major issues where the mayor can make a difference.

SUMMERS: My father was a two‑tour Vietnam veteran who returned home honorably but battled alcoholism, a struggle that claimed his life at age 43 and left me with a deep commitment to veterans and families affected by substance abuse. That personal loss shapes my priorities: I will champion veterans’ services, mental health supports, and addiction recovery programs, and I will ensure families of children with special needs have a clear voice in city decision‑making.

Statesville’s Lighthouse Autism Center is the kind of specialized resource our city needs; I will expand awareness of its services, extend its reach into every neighborhood, and seat representatives from such centers at planning tables so their expertise informs policy.

IFN: The City Council has or will soon approve the rezoning and annexation for the massive Compass Data Center project. This project will add an estimated $1 billion or more to the city’s tax base and generate millions of new tax dollars for the city. What will your priorities be for spending this money? As part of your plan, will you support a reduction in the property tax rate to give homeowners some relief? 

SUMMERS: Regarding revenue from the Compass Data Center, I am pro‑farmland and value rural character, but since the deal is concluded, I propose returning benefits to residents through targeted tax relief and community reinvestment that preserves farmland and supports neighborhood needs.

IFN: The cost of housing, including monthly rent and purchase prices for starter homes, has increased dramatically in the last five years. As mayor, would you support the use of taxpayer dollars to help first-time homebuyers? If so, what is your vision for such a program? If not, do you have any ideas for helping residents struggling to pay rent or buy their first home?

SUMMERS: On housing, affordability is real and urgent, but municipal government should not become a landlord. I will leverage federal programs, public‑private partnerships, and local incentives to support first‑time buyers, promote responsible development, and guard against substandard “affordable” builds. 

I will insist on quality construction, tree‑lined streets, sidewalks, safe speeds, and zoning that supports good neighborhoods near schools. 

My aim is practical support rooted in lived experience: honor veterans, back families with special needs, return city gains to residents, and champion housing that is safe, dignified, and sustainable.

IFN: Iredell-Statesville Schools previously asked the City Council to help fund a pre-K classroom for low-income children to ensure that they are ready to begin kindergarten. The cost was in the neighborhood of $200,000. The council declined to provide funding. If elected, would you support such an initiative? Explain your decision.

SUMMERS: I would absolutely advocate for the City of Statesville to contribute to our schools beyond the county tax base. We cannot recruit for future jobs if our children are undereducated and unable to compete. Supporting our schools is not optional; it is essential to economic development and fairness for our kids. 

I support strong early‑learning investments: universal pre‑K and programs like 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten promoted by the Iredell County Public Library. Literacy transforms lives—I am living proof. Give a child a book and you change the trajectory of their future.

IFN: The city has begun addressing some major capital/infrastructure needs in the past two years, but there are many projects still out there. Some fall into the category of “needs” and others are “wants.” What are your priorities in this area? How do you propose paying for them?

SUMMERS: When it comes to capital infrastructure, we must be bold and strategic. I would seek an expert assessment—perhaps from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and state partners—to map our aging pipes, storm systems, and critical assets, then plan a ten‑year roadmap aligned with projected growth.

Our planning must follow the data. Every census should inform a rolling 10‑ to 25‑year development plan so new neighborhoods grow where infrastructure can support them.

Funding should be pragmatic and principled: prioritize existing revenue and any surplus for infrastructure, while building strong public‑private partnerships with state and federal agencies. Use targeted grants and partnerships to leverage local dollars and ensure every investment serves both current neighborhoods and future generations.

Ultimately, investing in education and infrastructure together is not a trade‑off—it is the smart way to grow Statesville equitably, protect farmland and neighborhoods, and prepare our citizens for the jobs and life we all want for our children.

IFN: There are five candidates running for mayor, each with different backgrounds and experiences. What make you the best candidate to represent ALL residents of Statesville?

SUMMERS: I grew up here. I walked these streets, went to high school here, and rode my skateboard downtown as a kid. That lived experience shapes how I see the mayor’s office — as a place of hope, steady guidance, and practical inspiration.

I have sat in city council meetings, watched neighbors step up, and learned to respect the professionals who keep our city running. Leadership is not about arriving with all the answers; it is about listening, learning, and helping departments achieve their goals by being their strongest supporter.

I will join the team at City Hall with humility and energy, amplifying the expertise already there rather than overshadowing it. I will be a visible presence who meets people where they are, elevates community priorities, and turns everyday concerns into real results.

I will champion long‑time residents who have invested in Statesville and welcome new families who want to plant roots here.

My hometown roots, practical humility, and commitment to service make me the candidate best positioned to represent all residents and to be the advocate Statesville deserves.