Is the Village’s current level of taxation/fees enough to keep pace with current and future infrastructure needs? If not, what should be the solution?
I do believe that our current tax rate is at an acceptable level and does not need to be raised. We currently have $9.5 million in our general fund with $5.7 million of that being unassigned. In Clemmons are current tax rate is 11.5 and we have a tax cap of 15 that we cannot go above without a vote by the residents. With this tax cap it is unlikely that any tax increase would generate enough income for any major infrastructure projects. This is why we continue to look for grant opportunities that make sense financially for the Village while also making investments ourselves when necessary. The current Lewisville-Clemmons Rd project that is currently in the early planning stages and fully funded by the state is one example. This project will bring needed improvements to the intersections of LC Rd/Peacehaven, LC Rd/Interstate 40, LC Rd/158, and LC Rd/Sessions Ct as well as improvements between Interstate 40 and Stadium Dr. To compliment this development and to help with access to our businesses council has invested the necessary money to build a parallel road on the east side which is currently under construction. We have also received a grant to study the intersection at Kinnamon Rd/Interstate 40 to see what improvements can be made.
How important is it for government to effectively communicate with citizens? Is Clemmons an effective communicator? How could communication be improved?
Communication between council and citizens is of the upmost importance. The communication is not perfect, but we are always looking for ways to improve. Our marketing director Shannon Ford has done an excellent job of expanding that communication through the use of social media sites like Facebook and nextdoor. She has also compiled a large list of citizen emails so she can contact them with pertinent information. Every council member’s phone number is also available on the village website, so citizens are welcome to contact us with questions, concerns, or praises at any time. Council recently took another step in expanding communication by videotaping council meetings so citizens can view the meetings if they are not able to attend.
What skills make you the best candidate to represent the citizens of Clemmons?
I believe that I bring a good combination of youth and experience to the council. I believe there is always a need for young people to get involved in the community and in government. I have also been able to gain a large amount of experience in local government through my 2 years of service on the Lewisville Beautification Committee, 3 years on the Village of Clemmons Planning Board, and 4 years on Village Council where I have also served as the liaison to NCDOT. I have also proven myself to be someone that people can work with and like to work with. In my four years on council I have served with two almost entirely different groups of people and although we have not always seen eye to eye and agreed on every issue I have shown the ability to set those differences aside and work together for the good of the community when needed.
Why do you want to serve?
I have been blessed to call Clemmons home my entire life. In fact, I am a 6th generation resident of Clemmons and my sons are 7th. It has been a great honor and privilege to serve this community on the council the last 4 years. During that time we have accomplished a lot of great things including Village Point Dr, the Idols Rd extension, forming a transportation committee to update the transportation plan, and put together a Transportation Improvement Manual to help solve speeding issues in our neighborhoods. Despite all of the positive things that have been done there are still some ongoing projects I would like to see through to completion including the new library, the LC Rd overlay plan with parallel roads, the 158 sidewalk project, and the NCDOT improvements to LC RD. Most importantly though I would like to continue to work to make Clemmons a wonderful place for my boys to grow up just like it was for me.
What's the most pressing issue facing Clemmons right now? Has the Village done enough to address it? What should be done moving forward?
With the NCDOT improvements coming to LC Rd. getting the parallel roads put in to help with access to businesses is of the upmost importance. Construction on the road on the east side has begun and we will be working closely with NCDOT and property owners to find the best solution for a parallel road on the west side. Another major issue that will be coming and we must prepare for is development just outside our municipal boundaries. With sewer now available along the northern end of Harper Rd. the blanket bottom area is becoming a prime area for development. Council has recently began working with the Town of Lewisville to create a partnership in planning for future growth in the area. We must continue to strengthen that relationship and work together for what’s best for both communities. We will also need to work to make sure that any development built south of Idols Rd. is fitting with the neighborhood residential areas around it.
How important is "the way we’ve always done things" when making decisions?
I think the answer to that depends largely on the issue that is being discussed. I am a firm believer in the old saying “if it’s not broke don’t fix it” so if the way it’s always been done is still working then I don’t see a need to make a change. At the same time though I realize that Clemmons has seen a lot of growth over the years and is not the same Village that it use to be so there will be areas where a new way of thinking will be needed. One good recent example is with speed limits in neighborhoods. For years if residents wanted the speed limit on their street reduced to 25mph they were required to go door to door and get signatures from their neighbors petitioning to have the speed limit reduced. As the population has continued to grow and speeding has become a bigger and bigger problem council realized the need to make a change and make the speed limit on all residential streets 25mph.
Name an issue that came before the council where you AGREED with the final vote, and why.
During my 4 years on council we have voted on hundreds of items so there are many decisions that have been made that I agree with. Two of the more recent decisions and probably most important decisions that have been made were to not support the Tanglewood Industrial Park and to oppose a developer’s attempt to de annex land out of Clemmons. Both of these developments would have put major strains on already busy roads and did not make financial sense for the Village. The de annexation attempt in particular would have set a terrible precedent that could have started a ripple effect all the way down Lewisville-Clemmons Rd. Council’s priority should always be to put our community and its residents 1st. In both cases council remains committed to working with the developers to create developments that would be more compatible with the surrounding community.
Name an issue that came before the council where you DISAGREED with the final vote, and why.
The most recent decision that I disagreed with was the changing of the village attorney. My primary reason for disagreeing with the decision was because our previous attorneys at Kasper and Payne had a long history and knowledge of working with Clemmons. I also questioned whether we should make a major staffing change right before an election or if that a decision should be left up to the incoming council. Regardless I must say that I was highly impressed with the folks at Blanco Tackaberry during the interview process and they bring a lot of municipal experience to Clemmons. I believe that either firm would have served this community well.
Why do so few people vote in municipal elections?
The most common answer I get to that question by residents of Clemmons is that they do not see a need to vote. For the majority of residents Clemmons is a bedroom community. They work in Winston-Salem or other cities during the day and come home to Clemmons at night. Their taxes aren’t going up, their trash and other services are being picked up on time, and the schools remain some of the best in the state. People don’t tend to get involved unless there is a hot button issue or there is something they aren’t happy about.
