Peter McGuire Throws Hat in Ring for Town Council - TribPapers
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Peter McGuire Throws Hat in Ring for Town Council

Peter B. McGuire. Photo submitted

Weaverville – “I am excited to announce my candidacy for Weaverville Town Council for the 2023 election cycle,” says Peter B. McGuire, a lifelong resident of the area.

McGuire says, “Having been raised in Asheville from the age of 4, I graduated from Davidson College (1996) with a B.A. in Religion. During college, and for several years after, I worked as a fly-fishing guide both on the waters of Western North Carolina and Western Montana.

“Locally, I worked as a guide and shop employee at Hunter Banks on Montford Ave., primarily running wade trips from the Davidson to the South Toe and all the small streams in between. In that regard, I gained an especially strong appreciation of the natural resources of my home.”

According to his press release, in 1999, he “…returned to Montana to attend law school at the University of Montana in Missoula. I graduated from UM Law in 2002 with High Honors. After law school, in 2002, I returned to Asheville to practice litigation at a larger local firm. In 2008, I left that firm to open my own solo practice, focusing on plaintiff’s environmental law (sedimentation and erosion control).”

He joined the Strauss attorneys in 2014 and “focuses primarily on Estate Planning (Wills, Trusts, Powers of attorney, and Business Succession) and fiduciary litigation. I became a partner in that firm in 2017 and continue to be a business owner and practicing attorney today.”

“I moved from the North Asheville and Woodfin area to Weaverville in 2018 with my wife, Jennifer, and our two boys. Our family was looking for a neighborhood to join, and we found exactly that in Hunter’s Ridge right off South Main Street. But more than that, we have come to learn that Weaverville is a wonderful neighborhood in and of itself; a bit of Rockwell’s America, where my children can ride bikes in the cul-de-sac or to the pharmacy for ice cream, and where we often take a 10-minute walk downtown to visit the restaurants, breweries, the fly shop, and arts and craft stores. We absolutely love it here and are so happy we made the decision to provide such a tranquil yet robust life for our family,” he goes on to say.

McGuire, in 2021, “joined Weaverville’s Zoning Board of Adjustment, conducting quasi-judicial hearings on variance requests,” and says, “I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting my fellow community members and working with other board members and town employees in that endeavor.”

He attended the Weaverville Citizens Academy and is set to graduate in August. During his time in Weaverville, McGuire has had the privilege of engaging in numerous discussions with city leaders to address the challenges faced by the community. Encouraged by these interactions, he has decided to run for a seat on the Town Council, believing he possesses the necessary qualities to tackle issues proactively and head-on. Known for his analytical, pragmatic, and rational thinking, his press release says he approaches problems in a comprehensive manner, considering all aspects and available solutions. His experience as a lawyer has earned him the reputation of a “fixer” says the release.
 
Recognizing the current agenda items facing the Town, McGuire acknowledges Weaverville’s growing popularity and the subsequent strain it puts on public infrastructure, including water and sewer systems, as well as fire and police departments. 

Driven by his passion for the town and his commitment to its residents, he announces his candidacy and seeks the support and votes of his Weaverville neighbors, says the release. He pledges to serve the community to the best of his abilities, remaining true to himself and always remembering the deep love he, and his fellow residents, hold for this remarkable town.

As of Friday (July 14), here is a list of the candidates who filed Jim McAllister for Woodfin Mayor. Jerry VeHaun has also told the Tribune that 20 years as mayor is long enough and he won’t be running this year. Josh Blade for Woodfin Town Council. Larry Hopkins and incumbent Ivo Ballentine have filed for the Woodfin Water Board. And for Weaverville Town Council Dee Lawrence, Jennifer Young, McGuire and John M. Chase who is also an incumbent.