IFN STAFF

In the wake of his victory in the November 4 election, new Statesville Mayor Doug Hendrix discussed his decision to run for office for the first time, the team that helped propel him to victory, and his outlook for the upcoming year.

IFN: Describe the conversations you had with others and the thought process that led you to decide to enter the mayoral race? What was the deciding factor for you?

MAYOR HENDRIX: Carole and I looked at the house on North Mulberry Street when First Union Bank was transferring us to Statesville in 1989. We loved the house but had a one-year-old daughter and just didn’t have the resources to purchase and do the needed work on the house. It has been our dream house ever since! When the house came on the market in June of this year, we looked at it and immediately decided to make an offer, which was accepted. As soon as people heard we were moving Downtown, I had several close friends who said I should run for mayor. Having loved and served the Statesville community for 36 years made the decision easier, but the deciding factor was my wife Carole’s amazing support. Once she heard how excited I was about running she was immediately on board!

IFN: Who were some of the key folks in your campaign and what type of work were they doing on a day-to-day basis in the last month of the campaign to get your message across and get out the vote? Describe their efforts and what they mean to you.

MAYOR HENDRIX: One of my closest friends and trusted advisors is John Koppelmeyer. We have been through a great deal together. He was one of the friends who influenced my decision to run for mayor. John is one of the best leaders I have ever met, and I asked John to serve as my campaign manager. Xochitl Koppelmeyer, Nancy Davis, Jim Lawton, Frank Johnson, and obviously, Carole made up our committee and were key to our success. We also engaged Geo Soto to run our social media campaign and he was amazing! But the campaign involved so many more folks, sending letters, making phone calls, hosting events at their homes, doing videos, putting out signs, working at the polls, and the list goes on! I will never be able to thank these friends enough.

IFN: What was Election Night like for you and your family? At some point you must have thought it looks like I’m going to win or maybe it wasn’t until the unofficial results were in and you realized you had won, what was that like for you?

MAYOR HENDRIX: Election night was amazing! We had been at the polls all day and were running 100 percent on adrenaline. We all met at Sabores restaurant in Downtown and enjoyed their awesome food and drinks while we watched the results. The early voting results came in and we were ahead. I was kind of numb at the time. As more results came in the lead grew. Suddenly, it was apparent we had won. To be surrounded by my sister Carol, who came in from Louisville, Kentucky, and so many of my Statesville friends who helped with the campaign was humbling and emotional. Those who know me best know I can easily get choked up! And I almost made it through my thank you comments. But with so much love in the room it was overwhelming.

IFN: Replacing Mayor Kutteh will be an interesting challenge. He’s been doing things the Costi Way for 20 years. In what areas do you think you will blaze your own trail? What will that look like to residents and city staff?

MAYOR HENDRIX: Costi has been a friend and mentor for years. I learned a great deal from watching him serve this community and lead council meetings. I believe Costi and I share many of the same leadership characteristics. I am excited about the makeup of our new Council. With the loss of Costi, C.O. Johnson, Steve Johnson, Joe Hudson and Kim Wasson, we will have four experienced members and four new members on council. I have existing relationships with all eight of these folks and am optimistic that we can do great things for Statesville together.

I am also extremely confident in City Manager Ron Smith, Fire Chief Kurfees, Police Chief Onley, City Attorney Leah Messick, and our department directors. Our city is in great hands with these leaders and the staff in their respective departments.  Luckily for me, Public Information Officer April Nesbit and City Clerk Emily Kurfees are still around to help me through while I continue to gain the experience and knowledge required to wisely lead Statesville forward.

IFN: Controlling/managing new residential growth has proven challenging to elected officials in Mooresville and Troutman, where voters and residents have repeatedly voiced their dissatisfaction. And there has been push back in the unincorporated areas around Statesville from residents who do not want to see more residential developments and annexations. How will you and the new council make sure that Statesville does not make the same mistakes that other municipalities along the I-77 corridor have made? 

MAYOR HENDRIX: I feel Statesville has the advantage of time. Our neighbors to the south were overwhelmed before they had time to respond to the tidal wave of development. With that being said, we need to do what we can legally to take advantage of our unique position. Now is the time to examine opportunities for increased expectations on developers of industrial and residential projects. Unlike our friends to the south, we have an enviable amount of water and sewer capacity for future industrial and residential development. I believe the new council and city staff are ready to tackle these difficult issues, so the best decisions are made for the citizens of Statesville.

IFN: Finally, what will your priorities be during your first 90 days as mayor? How will you evaluate your own performance on your one-year anniversary?

MAYOR HENDRIX: I anticipate my first 90 days will be spent continuing to develop strong relationships with the new council, city staff and key leaders in our community. We have several important issues on the horizon, and we will need all hands on deck to ensure we make wise decisions.

I will view my first-year performance as a success if we continue to attract and retain quality city staff. I would love to see increased participation in city activities from all segments of Statesville. Every citizen, regardless of age, race, sex, ethnicity, language, religion, party affiliation, level of education or any other designation should feel safe and welcome to participate in our city’s programs, events, boards and committees. A more engaged population will make Statesville a better place for all of us!