In less than two weeks, many Ashe County citizens will step into the voting booth to decide who should represent them at the municipal level.

In West Jefferson, three incumbents – Stephen Shoemaker, Calvin Green and Jerry McMillan – will face off with three new challengers: Tod Hale, Mack Ham and Lester Mullis. The three candidates with the most votes will earn a four-year term on the West Jefferson Board of Aldermen.

Ashe Mountain Times asked each candidate several questions regarding the upcoming election. Here are their answers.

1. Why do you want to represent the town of West Jefferson on the Board of Aldermen?

Green: I want to work to continue to strengthen the town’s financial health by increasing reserve funds and working against any tax increases.

Hale: We, as a town, must do better than we are doing now. 

Ham: Being born and raised here in West Jefferson, I have a great interest in our town’s productive and economical growth, and feel I will be a great asset to the board.

McMillan: I was born and raised in the Town of West Jefferson. I left West Jefferson in 1970 for a job in Atlanta, Ga., as an air traffic controller. I retired after 27 years and immediately returned to West Jefferson. I have always loved West Jefferson and want only the best for the town. My father, Dean McMillan, was a West Jefferson merchant for 40 years, and my mother was a West Jefferson school teacher. When I returned to West Jefferson in 1997, I realized that the town was encountering a lot of problems. We had a lot of empty storefronts, cruising, the town park needed updating, sidewalk repair was needed, water and sewer infrastructure needed improvements, speed limits needed to be adjusted for safety and changes needed to be made to some of our intersections that were creating problems.

Mullis: I want to see the town do good and I want to be a part of the town as it moves forward.

Shoemaker: When I first decided to run four years ago there were issues in town that were not being addressed: zoning matters, traffic control, fair taxation, infrastructure problems (such as water and sewer), a strong police department and capable maintenance.

2. As an alderman, what do you think you can bring to the town board?

Shoemaker: Honesty, transparency and an awareness of the town’s needs.

Mullis: I have 21 years of experience in small business management.

McMillan: I have been an alderman for four years, and I have been involved with a lot of positive changes to West Jefferson. I have a good working relationship with all the merchants and a good respect with our citizens. I am on the Ashe County Library board, Christmas in July board, Ashe County Arts Council board and Ashe County Volunteer Initiative board. Through these boards, I have been able to work as a middleman and accomplish the goals of the town, as well as the organizations I represent.

Ham: I believe my positive attitude, fairness, honesty and hard work will aid in the continued growth and changes within our community.

Hale: If elected, I will bring honesty, integrity, and a fresh perspective to the town board. 

Green: As a long-time business owner, I have much experience in managing operating funds. As I have done in these past four years, I want to continue to work against unnecessary tax increases for West Jefferson citizens. I also want to continue to support the “face-lift” of West Jefferson and see more industry move to the town, so that our citizens can find work locally.

3. What do you see as the most important issues facing the town currently, and how do you think these problems should be addressed?

Green: A) Maintaining a bustling commerce in West Jefferson, so that no more of our store fronts go vacant – I would continue the face-lift that our town has been working on and promote businesses to open up in the downtown area. B) No increase in town property taxes – [I would] seek grants for funding and operate the Town of West Jefferson with a minimum number of staff needed to provide necessary services. C) More jobs! – I will continue to seek information on industry that might re-locate here.

Hale: Currently, the most important issues are out of control spending, taxes, zoning and an overall lack of transparency. The spending and taxes could be addressed by creating a tighter budget that should be made more readily available to the citizens; thereby reducing the lack of transparency.

Ham: I feel there are some areas in which our local tax dollars could be spent more wisely. I feel these areas should be discussed and changed where deemed necessary.

McMillan: I think that the most important issue, during these hard times, is keeping our town budget in check to ensure fiscal health of our town. I think that how our property is used and developed around us should be a concern for all of us. I would like to continue with implementing recommendations of Land Use Plan: most important is expansion of zoning jurisdiction to one mile beyond town limits through exercise of Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction. This would protect us from undesirable businesses and structures going up next door to us.

Mullis: The economy. We need to promote more industry and get jobs in West Jefferson.

Shoemaker: State Government intervention with new restrictions - i.e. water and sewer restrictions, new zoning regulations, monies awarded to towns for paving and other assisted programs. These things are best handled with a cohesive board and capable town manager who stays informed on all matters that affect the town.

What do you like about the town as it is right now?

Shoemaker: The town is a clean, friendly place for people to gather, an active business community with a community partnership highlighting and improving various aspects of the town. Our police force is quite capable now and our maintenance team is strong.

Mullis: I have always loved West Jefferson’s small-town charm and would like to see it stay that way.

McMillan: There are so many things I like about West Jefferson, I will just have to list a few. I love hearing visitors tell me what a beautiful town we have. I love seeing the sidewalks full of visitors and locals during the Gallery Crawls and Studio Hops. I love seeing the Farmer’s Market packed on Wednesdays and Saturdays. I love seeing tour buses parked at Ashe Cheese. I love seeing folks sitting outside the ice cream shop enjoying our beautiful town. I love seeing the town park full of tennis players, ball players, children on the new play set, and all the picnickers at our picnic tables, picnic shelters and huge slide. Living in downtown West Jefferson, I enjoy watching all the walkers and joggers using our well-lighted streets.

Ham: I find great pleasure in knowing that the town’s people of West Jefferson are always there for each other in times of need.

Hale: I have always liked the small, friendly atmosphere as well as the great potential that exists

Green: I have enjoyed working with the current Board of Aldermen and the Town Manager and feel everyone is working together to promote the future of West Jefferson. I am glad to see the increase in commerce and traffic in downtown West Jefferson.

(For incumbents) What do you think you have accomplished in your previous terms?

Green: I have played an active role in development of the town budget; no tax increase in the last three years; helped procure grants to improve the water and sewer system of the town; and helped secure funding to make improvements to the Bowie-Seagraves Park.

McMillan: I participated in the N.C. Rural Center Small Town Economic Prosperity program that resulted in grant funding of $50,000 for building the Backstreet Park. I supported safety improvement through the N.C. Department of Transportation at the intersection of Mount Jefferson Road and Highway 221. I attended the N.C. League of Municipalities Essentials of Leadership class and annual convention to promote West Jefferson. I supported drastic improvements to public safety through the restructuring of the West Jefferson Police Department. I supported the downtown designation as a National Historic District through the National Park Service. I worked to secure the town’s participation in the N.C. Department of Commerce Small Town Main Street program. I helped procure more than $600,000 in grant funding for improvements to the water and sewer infrastructure and the purchase of a new police cruiser. I worked to adopt a balanced budget for the last three years without any tax increase. I worked to strengthen the town’s financial health by increasing available fund balance from 15 percent of total expenditures to more than 50 percent (or six months operating funds in reserve for emergencies). I worked to adopt the town’s first comprehensive Land Use Plan. I worked to help secure funding for enhancement to Bowie-Seagraves Park, including: new playground, refurbished picnic shelter, lights and repaving of tennis courts. I worked to secure funding to repair many of the sidewalks in downtown. I supported enhancements and additions to the Farmer’s Market. I worked with the town attorney to revise our Town Ordinance book and zoning ordinances. I continue to represent the town at local and state functions to ensure our elected representatives in Raleigh are aware of West Jefferson’s needs.

Shoemaker: Our police and our town manager work well together to have a strong safe place for people to enjoy. We have a new town attorney who is well versed in municipal government. Our community partnership has worked hard to create the ‘pocket park’ in town, tying it to the new library, among many other things.

Closing statements.

Green: If re-elected, I will continue to support the issues I have in the past. I would like to have your vote in the upcoming election to ensure that the town continues to move forward with no unnecessary tax increases!

Hale: As a full time resident and a business owner, I feel we should focus as much attention on the local residents as we do on special interests. With the competent, hungry workforce in our town, we need to use all means available to attract and keep industry in the area. We can do better.

McMillan: No response.

Mullis: No response.

Ham: I grew up watching my father, James Ham, serve West Jefferson as a patrolman and chief of police. From a young age, I have had a deep desire to serve the community as well. I have watched this town grow and change throughout my 42 years. Some changes have been good and some bad. However, I do believe that change can and will be good for our community’s continued growth. During these most trying financial times, we must take care of our community and those that reside therein. If elected, I promise to do the best job possible for the citizens of West Jefferson.

Shoemaker: In closing, I would only say that I grew up here and it will always be ‘my town’. It is a special place that has been discovered by the outside world. As it goes through changes I hope it will remain a small town with small town values.