This Friday, Oct. 14 is the deadline to register to vote in the General Election and early voting will start next week on Thursday, Oct. 20.
In the Board of Commissioners race, Jerry Moore (U) and John Shearl (R) are running for the District 1 seat. Longtime Commissioner Jim Tate, who currently serves as board chair, did not run for re-election.
There are two seats open in District 2 and incumbents Gary Shields (R) and Ronnie Beale (D) have two challengers Danny Antoine (R) and Betty Cloer Wallace (D).
The Franklin Press asked each candidate to provide biographical information such as their education and work experience and community involvement and answer three questions: Why are you running, top three issues facing the county, and what you want voters to know about you. Their responses to the questions are in italics. Additionally, each candidate was contacted for an in-person interview to learn more about their thoughts on issues in Macon County. The candidates are listed below in the order they will appear on the ballot.
DISTRICT 1
Jerry Moore
Jerry Moore is making his first run for office as an unaffiliated candidate in District 1. Moore said after Jim Tate announced he was not running for re-election several people approached him about running for the seat on the Board of Commissioners.
Moore said he has been on the sideline many years attending meetings, as a local business owner and as a volunteer with community organizations. He felt the time had come to take the next step and be a more active part of the process.
“I really want to be part of the dialogue to solve problems,” he said.
Why are you running?
I believe my life and work experience will allow me to bring a fresh perspective to the commission. Additionally, Macon County is clearly experiencing a period of significant change and I would like to be a part of the solution to help maintain the character of what makes this a great place to live.
Moore said he often hears people saying that we our losing our “small town” feel. His answer to that is to create a plan for future growth. He said county leaders along with citizens need to be talking about what they want the county to be like in 20-30 years, and to follow the lead of the people in the community. “If we don’t guide it somebody else will.”
What are the top three issues facing the county?
1. The proposal to build a new Franklin High School, as well as other education and county infrastructure projects will need to be addressed immediately. Macon County has a significant amount of money in the fund balance, and this will give us an excellent start to addressing these critical projects. Adopting the 1/4 cent sales tax will go a long way to help us pay for our infrastructure while receiving the benefit of over 45% of this sales tax increase being paid by visitors.
2. A recent report from Macon County EMS reveals we are experiencing a drug overdose event every other day. We must take steps to curb the influx of Fentanyl and other illegal drugs into our community, while collaborating with substance abuse treatment providers to address the underlying disease of addiction.
3. Affordable housing and broadband are significant issues affecting Macon County. Although the county does not have any direct control over these issues, I believe commissioners have the ability to provide oversight and connect the players for the best possible outcome.
FHS and other
capital projects
Moore said he is in favor of keeping the high school at its current location and that moving it out of town could hurt small businesses.
“It’s kind of the core to our downtown,” he said. “It’s key to keeping our community together.”
He supports the quarter-cent sales tax proposal as a way to help pay for the FHS project, and other capital improvements such as the addition of Pre-K space at Highlands School.
“I don’t know where you would find another $2 million every year without impacting residents,” he said. (It is estimated the proposed sales tax increase would generate an additional $2 million in revenue each year.)
He recognizes that the sales tax increase would not completely pay for the new school. He suggests moving slowly on projects with a “pay as you go” plan when possible, as well as looking at ways to be more efficient and finding sources for additional funding.
“If we don’t invest in our community, we’re going backward,” he said. “We’re not a poor county, let’s not act like one.”
Fighting the drug problem
In addition to enforcement, Moore said addressing the drug problem will require access to treatment for people and mental health care. He acknowledged there is no quick fix and encourages people to continue to support the non-profits in the area who help those with substance abuse issues. He thinks it’s also important to continue the programs currently offered to people at the jail. “While they’re there let’s blast them with information.”
Housing and workforce development
“We need affordable housing and workforce housing,” Moore said, adding that it was becoming an issue even before the pandemic started. “The whole landscape has changed because of outside forces.”
He sees the county as collaborator to work with others to address the housing shortage. He said there are opportunities through public-private partnerships, and local government can help by providing the needed infrastructure such as access to water and sewer.
Housing is tied to workforce development, in that employers want to make sure their workers have a place to live. Moore said sometimes employers have to be creative in recruiting people to come here, and at the same time the county needs to have a plan for what kind of companies we want here. He advocates for the trades and for training the people needed to fill those jobs.
Moore said broadband expansion is another issue the county must continue to collaborate on, adding that bringing broadband to rural areas was like the effort to get electricity 50-60 years ago. “In rural areas the lack of access creates a disadvantage,” he said. Improved access will help children in the classrooms and create more business opportunities.
What do you want voters to know about you?
I chose to run as an unaffiliated candidate because I believe this is the best way to unify Macon County residents on the issues that affect us without consideration to party politics. I consider myself an Independent Conservative, but I look forward to working with all residents of Macon County.
John Shearl
Why are you running?
To instill strong conservative values to the board of commission.
What are the top three issues facing the county?
1. Schools and school safety
2. Mental health and drug addiction
3. 2023 property reevaluation, inflation and taxation
What do you want voters to know about you?
I love GOD, my family and our country. I have been a small business owner for 35 years and have always signed paychecks on the front not on the back. I am a lifelong conservative. I will vote to invest our tax dollars wisely and conservatively to move Macon County forward.
NOTE: Shearl said he was not doing in-person interviews with the media and would answer questions submitted by email.
DISTRICT 2 (two seats)
Gary Shields
Gary Shields has served on the Macon County Board of Commissioners since 2014 and prior to that served four years on the Board of Education. He said he decided to run for re-election because with three seats up for election, the board could have lost 60% of its members who have been there for more than two terms.
If re-elected he wants to see the Franklin High School project through, ensure that the commissioners maintain their liaison roles and to continue working for broadband expansion.
The commissioners are appointed as liaisons to a variety of boards and committees in the county and the region. “It gives us an opportunity to work with the community,” Shields said.
He is the appointed liaison for the Appalachian Trail Gateway Community, Animal Control Study committee, Dangerous Dog Board, Economic Development Commission, Greenway Project (FROG), Juvenile Crime Prevention committee, LBJ Job Corp, Macon County Board of Education and TDC Franklin/Nantahala.
He also serves on the Southwestern Community College board of directors, Southwestern Workforce Development Board and Region A Partnership for Children.
During each year’s county budget sessions, Shields said he focuses on three areas: safety, health and human services, and education. “These three areas make up 70%-75% percent of our county budget expenditures annually and remain a personal priority.”
Why are you running?
I “invested” three years in the military where one understands the words Constitutional Oath, Pledge of Allegiance and duty to one’s community and country.
What are the top three issues facing the county?
1. Affordable housing, affordable rental dwellings and the underemployed. Our county employment rate is 95%+ and that says a lot about the work ethic of the people of Macon County.
2. Broadband service: Macon County is a wonderful place to live but getting affordable broadband services to the citizens in outlying areas is a challenge. Recently, the South Macon Expansion Project was completed thanks to BalsamWest and the leadership of Jeff Lee of Little T Broadband Services. Our local legislative leaders, county leaders and Broadband Committee will support Frontier Communications in their recent GREAT grant award of $3.8 million dollars for upgrading and expansion.
3. Our need for a new hospital was completed via a ribbon cutting on Sept. 13. This much-needed new hospital, Angel Medical Center, is a welcome addition to the citizens of Macon County and surrounding counties.
FHS project
Shields said the new high school will be a high-quality brick and mortar campus that is ADA compliant, safe and that provides academic and athletic improvements. He said the ADA compliance is important in making sure students with disabilities can get from point A to point B on campus and fully participate in academic and other activities. He said the design of the new school also will help ensure FHS is a safer campus.
“FHS is shown to be a high-risk campus,” said Shields, who served as FHS principal for 21 years. “It’s time for a new high school.”
He said the commissioners, working with the Board of Education, will continue to work to prioritize the needs of the other schools and that the proposed sales tax increase will benefit not only the FHS project but other capital needs in the school system.
“I’m 100% for the sales tax referendum,” he said.
Housing and workforce development
Shields has seen first-hand how difficult it can be to find affordable housing and said he was shocked recently when he was helping family members find a place to rent. He said efforts are being made regionally to try to develop affordable workforce housing, but there is no easy answer.
As someone who spent 41 years involved in education, he stresses the importance of education. “Education is an investment for the future,” he said. “Developing an educated workforce allows people to come here and stay, to invest in the community and be a part of it in a positive way.”
What do you want voters to know about you?
I have invested my time and energy to the betterment of Macon County. I believe education is an investment and not only will the youth of the Macon County benefit, but our citizenry will be provided a better quality of life via a better educated workforce and safe environment.
Betty Cloer Wallace
Why are you running?
To use my lifelong public service experience and administrative credentials to work toward practical and sustainable change, to counteract the three-person voting bloc that has controlled our Board of Commissioners for many years, and to work toward improving our economic conditions that are causing the exodus of our young families from Macon County.
What are the top three issues facing the county?
1. To combat our 30% poverty rate and persistent underemployment, we need jobs that pay a living wage plus healthcare and retirement benefits, including an aggressive plan for industrial recruitment, economic development, affordable housing, specialty medical care clinics and countywide broadband access.
2. Need for comprehensive long-range facilities planning for education and daycare, courthouse, law enforcement and detention center, recreation, senior services, and civic center.
3. Need for a Public Information and Public Relations Office for better fiscal transparency and communications between government and citizens.
What do you want voters to know about you?
During my 40 years of public administration, I served on numerous boards and commissions for industrial recruitment and school facilities planning; planted 14,000 native hardwood trees; wrote “Poisoned Apple: the Bell-Curve Crisis” (in our schools) and “Tuckaseegee Chronicles” (historical novels); developed commercial and residential real estate; and believe that political activism is honorable and desirable for everyone.
NOTE: Wallace did not schedule an in-person interview prior to deadline for this article.
Danny Antoine
Danny Antoine said he is running for County Commissioner “to be able to serve Macon County citizens at a greater capacity than I have been able to for the last 22 years.”
Why are you running?
I believe it’s time we get back to the government serving the people and not just a select few at the top.
What are the top 3 issues facing the county?
There are many issues facing our county, and the top three would look different depending on who you would ask.
1. We keep losing upcoming generations out of high school because job/career opportunities are not competitive here in Macon County.
2. Drugs are destroying our community.
3. We need planned growth and housing solutions for that growth. Industry brings about livable income. Let’s pour into our school system for the betterment of the children, let’s protect these little ones.
Antoine said we live in one of the most beautiful places in the U.S. and have many things to capitalize on, but it seems in recent years that there has been more taken away than coming in. “That seems backward,” he said, adding that housing costs are sky-high and many of the county’s brilliant people leave for opportunities elsewhere. He wants to see affordable housing, better job opportunities, more industry and a wider variety of entertainment, restaurants and shopping options, which would also create jobs.
“Why does every county around us have nice things and we don’t?” he said.
Through his Martial Arts Academy he provides activities for hundreds of kids each year but says that’s only a fraction of the young people. He said there needs to be more activities for children with a variety of interests such as sports, arts or music. “They’re bored, they have nothing to do,” he said. He would also like to see a “junior” program where young people have the opportunity to learn and be mentored by first responders, EMTs, firemen or law enforcement.
Housing
When it comes to the issue of affordable housing, Antoine said he does not understand how we live in an area where construction is one of the top industries, yet there is a housing problem. “Why are we not partnering with private organizations to build affordable housing?” he asked.
He said there needs to be more apartment complexes that are not income based, because not everyone wants to, or can, buy a house. He said an added benefit of apartment complexes is that they often have playgrounds, pools or recreation areas that would give children a place to play.
FHS Project
Antoine said he is supportive of a new high school but would limit the amount the county finances for the project. He suggested taking money out of the fund balance to start the project.
He questions why the project is moving forward before the election, saying that new board members might bring new ideas for a plan that doesn’t cost as much. He also feels people are not being heard during the process.
“Why are we not taking people’s voices into account?” he said. “How worthless do people feel if they don’t have a voice?” He wants to know more about what other properties were considered and make sure all the options have been looked at.
When it comes to the quarter-cent sales tax, he said, “I’m not for raising people’s taxes if you can’t show them what the money is going to.”
He is glad the issue is on the ballot. “The people will have the ultimate voice,” he said, adding that he would probably vote for it.
What do you want voters to know about you?
I want voters to know they will have a voice with me. My life is spent daily fighting for faith, families and freedom. We have an amazing community here in Macon County; let’s band together to make it even better.
Ronnie Beale
Ronnie Beale has served as a county commissioner since 2006. He currently serves on the board of directors of the N.C. County Commissioners Association, was elected as president of the association in 2014, and was named the 2016 County Commissioner of the year in North Carolina.
Beale said he decided to run for re-election because there was “unfinished business” both locally and in his work regionally and at the state level. “There are things I would like to see come to fruition,” he said.
Why are you running?
To continue working with our local school board to give all our students the best opportunities to succeed; to stay committed to providing broadband to as many households as possible; to improve the quality of life for all Maconians; to work diligently in the mental health and substance abuse area.
What are the top 3 issues facing our county?
1. Providing our children the tools to succeed. We must continue investing in our children as they are the future of Macon County. Since being elected, we have constructed two new schools, placed additions on three schools and renovated several schools. Also, we provided a teacher supplement while working closely with our local Board of Education.
2. Access to quality broadband. Macon County must continue working with local providers to expand broadband internet access.
3.Housing is crucial to economic development. We have excellent schools, a new medical facility, low crime rate, abundant natural resources and great recreational facilities. These qualities combined with the continued expansion of broadband makes Macon County a very attractive location. What are we missing? Affordable housing. It is one of the most important factors, not only to economic development but to the future of our county.
FHS project
With another FHS project meeting scheduled for Oct. 18, Beale said he hopes they are working toward a plan that the county, the school board and the public can support.
After looking at different properties for 10 years, he said it made the most sense to keep the high school at its current location. The cost of buying new property, the infrastructure and site preparation could easily add up to 30% to 40% of the budget, he estimated.
He is supportive of the quarter-cent sales tax proposal to fund the FHS project and other capital needs. “All the surrounding counties are getting our money,” he said. “If there is such a thing as a fair tax, it is that.” He added the benefit of the sales tax proposal is that visitors will contribute about 40% of the expected revenue from the increase.
If the referendum does not pass, Beale said it would be too much to raise property taxes to cover the full cost of the high school project.
Broadband
Beale said broadband is one of the most unique problems he’s faced as a county commissioner. “We are penalized because of our topography,” he said. “It’s not a luxury anymore, it’s a necessity”
Better internet access can improve education opportunities and spur economic growth. “It should be as available as power to your house,” he said. “But that’s easier said than done.”
Beale noted that the county appropriated $580,000 to the $1.5 million South Macon Fiber Backbone project, which was completed in August.
That project coupled with the GREAT grant that Frontier Communications received will help move the county forward. “We should see some real progress in the next couple of years, but we’ve got to keep working on it.”
Housing and workforce development
Beale said the lack of affordable housing is impacting economic development in the county. “Everybody has to have somewhere to live,” he said. “Housing is critical.”
He said other counties in the region are experiencing the same problem with housing and that the county will continue to work with its partners to try to find a solution. “It’s going to take a lot of money,” he said. “But housing is going to be key as we move forward.”
He said the county cannot afford to go into the housing business, but local government can advocate and provide leadership. He said the county must work with federal and state governments along with grant providers in providing affordable housing. “It’s important that the county commissioners stay involved.”
Beale said continuing to work with Southwestern Community College and Macon Early College will be important as the county tries to increase its workforce and meet the needs of local employers.
He said the workforce has changed since the pandemic, there’s a larger number of Baby Boomers retiring, and many women are out of the workforce because of the high cost of childcare. He hopes expanding the childcare availability at Macon Program for Progress will allow more women to return to work.
What do you want voters to know about you?
During my tenure, we have managed to keep one of the lowest property tax rates in the state. Capital outlay to our schools has increased by 33% to approximately $9.9 million. The county’s outstanding debt has decreased by 22%. The unassigned fund balance has increased by 100%. My door is always open, as it has been for the past 16 years. My goal is simple: to help our community in any way possible, always placing people above politics.