Weaverville – Candidates for the Weaverville Town Council answered questions put forth to them by the Tribune. Here are their answers in alphabetical order.
Question 1: What do you see as the main issue facing Weaverville, and how do you plan to handle it?
John Chase
I see managing growth and development within and around the town limits as a main issue. The town council, with the support of the Planning Board, regularly reviews and updates the town’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan and zoning ordinances to proactively keep up with needed changes. We welcome continued involvement and constructive input from the public on these issues to make this process continuously better and, more efficient and inclusive. I would like to see us implement more planning ahead and less reacting to our quickly changing landscape in WNC.
Dee Lawrence
I see the main issue is managing the different facets of inevitable growth in Weaverville while maintaining the quality of life that is meaningful to the town’s populace.
Peter McGuire
The town is growing in a very robust way. Land use planning, budgeting, and infrastructure expansion necessarily come with that growth. The work of the town council will focus greatly on addressing issues related to development in order to ensure a safe and measured town strategy that regulates where needed and incentivizes developers to fit within the town’s articulated vision.
Jennifer Young
The main issue facing Weaverville is the rapid growth of the town. We have approximately 1,000 new housing units (homes, apartments) planned to be built over the next 2–5 years. This growth needs to be managed to ensure we maintain the small-town heritage that gives Weaverville its character that drew us all to live here. Our council needs a clear vision for the town’s future. Without a vision, there is no plan. We need a comprehensive land-use plan that is fair and equitable, and the plan needs to be fairly enforced. In addition, we need to secure our infrastructure to provide services to our citizens. I will work diligently to ensure we can deliver appropriate services to meet the needs of the people while appropriately managing the growth.
Question 2: How is the current council doing at addressing the issues?
John Chase
Our current council is proactive about addressing issues. We just approved and will be implementing the recently completed Active Weaverville Plan—Bike/Ped Plan, and we continue the trend of researching issues thoroughly to be well-informed.
Dee Lawrence
My experience so far is that the current council is working hard to meet the ever-changing issues that impact every small town in NC, while navigating the limitations put in place by the state legislature.
Peter McGuire
I think the mayor and council have done an excellent job navigating the town through a time that has been as unique as it has been difficult. The pandemic brought many challenges to nearly every municipality. Changes have occurred drastically in demographics and workforce, including those changes in housing demands, public services provided by the town, and infrastructure. Every town looks far different today than it did four short years ago. To be able to respond in a pragmatic, long-visioned, and responsible way as new challenges erupt amongst citizens passionately supporting differing views has been the mark of this council. However, old and new challenges will continue to present themselves, many without warning. I believe I can lend a committed and responsible voice to our government that considers all possible viewpoints and implements concrete and feasible solutions.
Jennifer Young
The current council has worked hard to research topics that have come to their attention, but knowing the town’s history is invaluable. Being a Weaverville native, I know many of the people who live in Weaverville, and I know the history of the town. My mother, Kathy Young, served on the town council, along with Dottie Sherrill. I remember the history of the water shortage, including the contaminated wells and water restrictions. I recall the comprehensive planning that my mom and Ms. Sherrill experienced to extract water from the Ivy River, which allowed the development of the Weaver Blvd. business district. I remember Lake Louise when it was a lily pad, mosquito-infested lake. My mother wrote the grant to build the park we now enjoy with the playground and walking trail. And while the current council members seem to be intelligent and come to the meetings prepared, they do not always grasp the history of the town or the core values and culture of the people of Weaverville, who have made this town this treasured place we all love.
Question 3: What is your vision for Weaverville?
John Chase
Maintaining the downtown charm and making the town more walkable is part of my vision for Weaverville, especially along Merrimon from Main Street to Lake Louise and to the shopping centers, and working alongside the Weaverville Business Association on this issue. The central business district is vital and important to maintaining Weaverville’s unique character.
Dee Lawrence
I believe that the Town of Weaverville needs to strive to meet the visions of the majority of the residents.
Peter McGuire
I envision a clean, stable, and economically advantageous town that can balance the vibrancy of growth and development where those opportunities thrive and the tranquility of a safe, clean Main Street. Weaverville has become attractive to so many people, and it has something for everyone. Weaverville provides both a wonderful haven for those wishing to retire as well as ample resources for new, younger families. I envision a town rich in culture, arts, food, and beverage, as well as recreational opportunities for every generation.
Jennifer Young
My vision for Weaverville is protecting the heritage and small-town charm of the town, keeping it distinct from Asheville. Our most valuable assets are the citizens of the town, with the values that have made Weaverville such a great place to live. It is critical to preserve freedom within our community without oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s ways of life, behavior, or political views. It is essential to ensure equal opportunities for our citizens to make the most of their lives and talents. We need to foster community, which has been the backbone of our residents. This includes encouraging activities which are inclusive and inviting to draw families and our citizens together to enjoy the town’s resources, festivals, and offerings. In addition, I envision a town which encourages prosperity so that the people can flourish and thrive.
Question 4: How would your election change or reinforce the council’s actions?
John Chase
I bring experience to the Council through my work in planning, construction, engineering, and consulting, with 27+ years in the construction and development realm. My knowledge of codes and regulations, as well as and the communities and professional spheres in which the town works, is valuable. I am a level-headed contributor to the council. I will work to follow through to continue to improve the connectivity around town, with other nearby towns (in both shared projects and goals and in regard to land use), and to adjacent communities with greenways.
Dee Lawrence
My candidacy is based on three words: Communication, Collaboration, and Commitment. My career has been one that was deeply entrenched by solving problems. If these three words aren’t embraced, solutions are very difficult to achieve.
Peter McGuire
My election would reinforce a proactive government with an eye on long-term effects. I believe my election would present new perspectives on issues that regularly come before the council as well as a fresh eye on the several issues building steam over the next months and years.
Jennifer Young
Being elected to this council would allow me to offer much of the history of how Weaverville developed over the years, including things that went well and things that failed over the years. Often, when a town’s leadership is comprised mostly of members who are not native to the area, the heritage gets lost. The core values of the people are lost. The identity of the town is lost and becomes blended with the surrounding area. But having a native on the council can help guide decisions based on facts and the historical successes and failures throughout the years. I will work hard to partner with the council members to ensure we have a solid plan for the town’s future, without making decisions based on emotions or without having adequate information to make good decisions.
Question 5: What do the voters need to know about you as a candidate?
John Chase
I am a husband and father, local business owner, and Weaverville resident for over 18 years. I have multi-generational family ties to Weaverville and Buncombe County. I am invested as a homeowner in Weaverville and have worked to make our neighborhoods a better place to live. Before serving on the Town Council, I accepted an appointment to serve on Weaverville’s Planning Board, where I worked for three years, using my community connections and expertise to further the goals of Weaverville.
Dee Lawrence
I have been a resident of Weaverville for 16 years. I have completed the Citizen’s Academy program offered by the town. My degree is a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Virginia. I am a certified Scuba instructor and have been blessed with being able to travel widely and visit a number of remote diving locations. I enjoy photography, especially the underwater kind. I am married, my daughter lives in Richmond, Va., with her husband and their three children.
Peter McGuire
I believe in the strength of my family and raising my young sons in a safe and clean community. I am experienced, having sat on the Weaverville Zoning Board of Adjustment. In that role, I have worked with many members of our town staff as well as members of town government. I am service-minded, having sat on many boards over the years, from the Mission Health Institutional Review Board, to the EnergyXchange, which managed landfill gas capture to power kilns and glass-blowing studios for local artists, to my children’s school. I am a local to our region, having grown up and lived in the Asheville, Woodfin, and Weaverville areas since childhood. I am a business owner, as I am a partner in a 3-office estate planning law firm spanning from Asheville to Hendersonville and recently expanding into Raleigh.
I am an attorney whose focus is and has always been solving problems of all kinds for my clients, and which lends itself to knowing the law when it comes to actions of council. I am a former fly fishing guide who has a great appreciation for our natural resources and the beauty of our area. Most of all, I am a rational, analytical, and pragmatic leader, whose focus will be on doing what’s best for the town with an eye toward the future.
Jennifer Young
I do not consider myself a politician but instead a citizen who loves Weaverville and its people. I am running as an unaffiliated candidate in a non-partisan election. I do not align with any political party; therefore, I am not pushing a political agenda. I am not seeking to serve the desires of a party, but the desires of the citizens of this town. Often, the voice of the people is drowned out by the desires of a party. I seek to be the voice of the people of Weaverville.
I hold a master’s degree in nursing and have experience with disaster management. I also hold a bachelor’s degree in business administration and worked as an auditor with the State of NC. I own and manage rental property in Weaverville and have completed fair housing training through Housing and Urban Development. I have also completed the Weaverville Citizen’s Academy.
I am an independent thinker and can confidently articulate a position after researching a topic. I do not conform to group thinking but make decisions based on facts and data, not emotion. I would love to meet with the citizens of Weaverville to listen to their concerns so that I can address them as a member of the town council. I hope to earn your vote on November 7th. This is “Our Town, Our Future.”