#LocalElectionsMatter: City of Lexington Mayor Candidates
Sidney Briggs, our first intern at Davidson Local, approached us last year with an idea. At the time, she was a soon to be high school graduate who would be voting for the first time in 2022. Being an informed voter is of utmost importance to Sidney. She also believes her fellow citizens should have access to information that will assist them in the voting booth.
Fresh off her Freshman year at Wellsley College in Massachusetts, Sidney returned home for the summer and has been hard at work. During the month of August, she has been emailing candidates running for Mayor of Lexington, Lexington City Council and Lexington City Schools Board of Education a series of questions regarding their platform.
Today, we’re publishing answers from the Lexington mayoral candidates. Answers are verbatim.
We appreciate Sidney’s commitment to her fellow residents.
-KSL
Submit questions here!
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing Lexington?
Jason Hayes (incumbent) - Lexington is experiencing tremendous industrial, retail, and residential growth. We recently announced one of the most impactful economic developments in the City’s recent history with Siemens Mobility’s $220 million investment and 500+ jobs. We have Samet Corporation’s 800-acre industrial park that is primed for growth, 3000+ residential units that are either approved or in planning discussions, and new retail outlet announcements coming almost on a monthly basis. Unfortunately, Lexington also has a poverty rate approaching 28% with low-income citizens being disproportionately impacted by rising rents, a limited rental housing stock that is often unaffordable, and rising costs for everything from food to utilities. We have an aging infrastructure of water and wastewater treatment, roads that need repaving, and a City Centre building and passenger rail stop that must be completed. We also have requests from citizens and staff for a community rec center, updated police station and fire department training facility.
The major challenge for Lexington moving forward is to skillfully embrace positive economic development in a measured approach, while also balancing our response to folks who are being left behind. We cannot place the infrastructure cost burden solely on our taxpayers and utility customers...they & we can’t afford it. We need to maximize workforce development opportunities so that we can fully reap the benefits of Siemens, Nucor, Egger and others, kick start Samet’s industrial park to grow our tax base, and develop an affordable housing strategy with key stakeholders that will support all our citizens moving forward.
Burr Sullivan -The biggest challenges facing Lexington are a lack of good-paying local jobs coupled with a high poverty rate and lack of education. Through no fault of the people in Lexington, our community has been hit hard by global trade and the loss of jobs overseas. My experience as a businessman, as well as my active experiences with local and statewide community colleges, provide me the background, along with other community leaders and city administration, to change our economic direction over the next five years. This will require aggressive recruitment of good growing businesses to Lexington. Then training anyone willing to work to get one of these good-paying jobs will begin to reduce poverty.. The training for a certified skill is readily available at our community college which accepts any qualified applicant. This low cost educational opportunity is the key for a good job today. Only a good job will eliminate poverty.
How do you plan to promote the economic development of Lexington?
Hayes -I have already been doing this. I believe economic development is about building relationships and pulling the levers you have as a municipality to promote a growing tax base, successful businesses, and flourishing citizens. I am very proud of improving our city’s relationship with the county commissioners. After months of no movement, we were able to negotiate additional sewer allocation while bringing in $5 million to support our wastewater infrastructure. As a result, Samet’s industrial park has much needed sewer access, and we are partnering with them to get piping infrastructure to their site.
I will continue to support the Depot District where we have a passenger rail stop in planning stages, a BUILD grant award and properties being improved. Requests for proposals are currently pending on the Lexington Home Brands Showroom site, one of the most attractive in that area. Lexington has a seat on the restructured Economic Development Commission (EDC) and we recently met with Samet and EDC representatives to improve communication, transparency and to discuss opportunities to maximize the I-85 Industrial Park. Our Council approved $8.2 million in incentives for Siemens Mobility and continues to explore new opportunities to maximize economic development.
I plan to continue partnering with Davidson-Davie Community College and Lexington City Schools to educate workers, introducing them to advanced manufacturing and training opportunities available post-high school. Lastly, our continued support of Uptown Lexington and the Depot District will serve as key economic drivers, contributing to Davidson County being ranked #1 in NC for visitor spending growth.
Sullivan - I plan to lead an effort to grow our economy and our population by recruiting first-class companies with good jobs. This will require more business parks within Lexington that are ready for development. Plus, we will actively work with the State of North Carolina, and to work as a partner with the Davidson County Government to bring in new companies. North Carolina is the #1 state for business and we can recruit our share of new jobs if we do the right things. Under my leadership, the City Council and the City Staff will be strongly pro-business so that our city can become more prosperous. North Carolina has grown by over one million people in the last ten years, but Lexington has not gotten its share of this growth. The opportunity is before us at the present time, if we do the right things, and I am committed to this cause.
What is your plan to support the unhoused population in Lexington?
Hayes - When I decided to run for office, I knew I needed to learn more about the unhoused population living in our community as well as citizens living in poverty. Over the past year, many community organizations have included me in their discussions about these issues and I now understand that effective solutions will be complex. We must involve multiple organizations, professionals, churches, and volunteers to not only provide basic needs, but also sophisticated medical and mental health support and active case management. First Hope Ministries and The Salvation Army have plans to build a new facility and expand their kitchen facilities and DC Connect is currently serving as a central triage/referral source for individuals in need in our community. These organizations and others need funding and volunteers to continue to support the unhoused population in Lexington and I believe it is our city’s responsibility to partner with them to better understand the issues at hand, determining where government best fits into the solution. Collaboration with county and state representation to bring additional resources to our community will also be an important component of the solution, but I do not think that is enough. I have a plan to bring stakeholders together in my next term, if elected, to create a formalized poverty plan that will include the unhoused as an important segment of our population that needs assistance. Unfortunately, I have not had enough time to complete this in my first abbreviated term, but I will get it done.
Sullivan - Concerning the homeless population, my guiding principles are that we should extend the highest level of compassion to the least fortunate among us--- at the lowest cost to the taxpayers. Lexington is a proud community that takes care of its own. The Lexington community and the Crisis Ministry of Davidson County have done a good job over the last 25 years in providing three downtown sleeping shelters, plus a food bank and clothing bank. The area churches provide meals for the homeless, along with the Salvation Army. We must continue this good work and look for ways to improve these services. We must do everything in our power to avoid the policy errors that are causing lawlessness and failures taking place in large cities like San Francisco and New York. Homelessness is a job for the entire community, not just the government. Private organizations are much more efficient at meeting the needs of the homeless, not another government program. The City should partner with these organizations to help meet the need. Lexington has risen to the occasion so far, and I am confident we can provide common-sense leadership to continue a good outcome in the future.
Describe your commitment to diversity, equity, and belonging.
Hayes - I am committed to the City of Lexington working for all citizens. That means the City Council and me, as mayor continuing our support for policies for both the city and the city’s workforce that are inclusive of everyone and acknowledging with a critical eye when we are not hitting the mark on diversity, equity and belonging. I do not see that changing for our new council moving forward. We still have important work to do in bringing people together, but I am very proud that our council has not only allowed everyone to have a voice, but also to be heard. I know that our city council has hired a new city manager in Mr. Johnnie Taylor who is committed to a healthy work culture and an environment where every employee is valued. That is a testament to my continued commitment and that of our council’s
Sullivan - As to diversity, equity, and belonging, I believe Lexington is fully committed to having 340 city employees that reflect all parts of our city and county populations. I see evidence that the city has good employees who care about the safety and well-being of our citizens. Efforts to improve community relations among our fellow citizens from different cultures must continue. I have always felt Lexington was a very caring and safe place to raise a family, and I want to see that continue as we start to grow our economy and population. The competition for talent is intense in all workplaces and the City must cast the widest possible net to attract the best employees to look after our citizens. The City of Lexington knows that its most important asset are the employees. We must remember that all Lexingtonians have much more in common than differences, and that gives me confidence in our future as a city.
What is one word you would use to describe your leadership style?
Hayes - Transformational
Sullivan - The description of my leadership style in one word is ...ENGAGED. I have led many organizations and initiatives over the course of my life. I proudly served as an infantry officer in Vietnam during a very challenging time for our country. I led a business of my own here in Davidson County. I have served on many non-profit boards in Lexington and led three community projects in Lexington to give back to the community. My experience and interest in the biggest challenges facing Lexington----job creation and skills training that together will reduce poverty, are badly needed in Lexington. Together, we can rebuild the prosperity and sense of community that will attract new businesses as well as new citizens to Lexington.. I am very optimistic about Lexington growing and becoming more prosperous if we do the right things.
