Chatham County Commission

Note: Although your partisan ballot on May 6 may contain more names than seen here, it is because the candidate does not have any same-party opposition and will appear on the November ballot without contest.

NBC17 did not change, alter or edit the responses from the surveys. The answers below are as written by each candidate.

District 1: Patrick Barnes and Sally Kost face each other for this seat in the May primary.

Sally Kost 
Age: 55 
Current Profession / Occupation: Retired Budget Director Orange County
Are you an incumbent? -- No

Why should voters select you on Election Day?
 I have over 20 years experience working in public finance, budgeting and program evaluation, with over half of that experience working at the local level. As budget director in both Wake and Orange counties, I have wrestled with many of the same problems that Chatham now faces, especially how to pay for infrastructure in a growing community. This experience will be an asset to the commissioners, as they face the complex challenges of balancing the budget and meeting the demands of the community. 

Counties in North Carolina now have the option to seek two new revenue options: a land transfer tax and a sales tax. Should one or both of these new revenue options be used in your county?
 One - Land Transfer Tax 

Please explain why you believe your answer to the previous question is the right decision for your constituents.
 If you look at Chatham's school construction needs, the impact fee revenue ($3500 per house) will not generate enough money to build the needed schools. Sales tax revenue will grow in Chatham, but it too won't generate enough revenue.. There are a few other funding sources to help pay for the schools, but, it will boil down to property tax increases. If the choice is between increasing property taxes or implementing the LTT, I have to choose the LTT over increasing property taxes. I only support the LTT if 100 percent of the proceeds is directed to the schools, not the 85 percent that was proposed in the November referendum. And I would only support it if we decrease the impact fee some amount. It bothers me that more modest housing must pay the same impact fee amount, but that is the way a fee must be levied. Chatham must lalso ook for efficiencies from within the budget - whether it is scaling back discretionary programs or whether it is through automating processes and changing the way we do business. Since my background is in public budgeting and finance and program evaluation, my experience will be an asset to the county. I understand that supporting a tax increase is not a favorable position in a campaign, especially after the voters in Chatham soundly defeated the land transfer tax. But I am concernedabout the impact of increasing the property tax on citizens, particularly the elderly who may be house/land rich, but cash poor.

An economic development strategic plan has just been prepared for Chatham County. Is there anything you would do differently to bring jobs to the area?
 I believe the strategic plan recently presented is a solid although there is much work to be done. One of the first priorities must be to establish a marketing strategy for the Siler City business park, an investment of $10 million of County funds. And the County must work better with the municipalities to help our towns build the necessary infrastructure so that businesses can locate and grow here.

Some Chatham County residents say it's difficult to find affordable housing. Do you agree with their assessment - and if so - what can be done to improve the situation?
 The recent study on Affordable Housing did not present data by region of the county, but instead, looked at pricing for the county as a whole. I believe the problem is more severe in the eastern portion of the county, and it wll only worsen. I am glad to see that the county is taking a hard look at this issue now.

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Patrick H. Barnes
Age: 72
Current Profession / Occupation:  Self employed general contractor, County Commissioner (sometimes it is a full time job!)
Are you an incumbent? -- Yes

Why should voters select you on Election Day?
 I've kept my promises. In 2004, I promised to work for proactive economic development and job education to prepare Chatham for the future. For a number of years very little had been accomplished. I made sure we restructured the Economic Development Corporation and hired a new director. Currently the EDC is in the midst of completing the County’s first strategic plan for economic growth, http://www.chathamedc.org/. Working with Commissioner Mike Cross and others, I made sure we established the Chatham County Industrial Park in Siler City with plans for a new regional hospital and community college branch at this location. I am particularly proud of the new environmental biotechnology wing at the Pittsboro community college where we offer training in emerging technologies. I promised to insist that the County implement its existing and already approved plans.

While commissioner, we established a one-year moratorium on residential development to allow us time to review and update our ordinances and procedures. We added staff to the planning department, hired Chatham’s first erosion control officer, restructured the Planning Board, and passed key ordinance updates to lighting design and stream buffers. Ordinance development committees were established and new and improved policies for commercial development and other standards are almost complete. We have included all interested parties in this work. We are implementing the Land Conservation and Development Plan as promised. I promised to bring the citizen’s voice back to Chatham government. Getting our fair share when dealing with regional governments such as Cary was one of the main reasons I wanted to be a commissioner. Other regional governments have too long dictated their terms to Chatham on issues of water, sewer, highway construction, land use planning, and annexation. Most recently, along with BOC Chair Lucier, I insisted on Chatham County’s participation in Western Wake County’s design meetings for a large wastewater treatment plant planned for the New Hill area. While Chatham was not initially invited to these meetings, we are there anyway to ensure Chatham’s interests are represented. As a result, Chatham has been able to secure the needed treated water allocation to build the water and sewer infrastructure required to support our municipalities and to support our economic development endeavors. Improvements to county services and the development of a capital improvement plan are among the successes of the last three years. A full time county attorney position has been created as promised. The position has begun to serve us well, particularly in our dealings with Cary and other regional governments. Immediate improvements have been made to the Dunlap building to provide the access and delivery of county services (including the health department). Our capital plan calls for a new elementary and high school in NE Chatham, a new library, and a new judiciary building. I truly believe that “Chatham County will be a place that cooperatively controls its own destiny to assure the state of well-being desired by all of our people, while proudly preserving diverse cultural heritages and the County’s rural character.” I believe that Chatham County is in a better position now than it was three years ago, but there is more to do. For more details please see www.Barnes4Chatham.blogspot.com Thank you. * Adopted Chatham County Strategic Plan Vision.

Counties in North Carolina now have the option to seek two new revenue options: a land transfer tax and a sales tax. Should one or both of these new revenue options be used in your county?
 Both - Sales & Land Transfer Tax

Please explain why you believe your answer to the previous question is the right decision for your constituents.
 I believe that both these *options* should be on the table as the County struggles to determine the best way to fund the costs of rampant residential growth. However, I also believe that the citizens should have a vote in how it wishes to fund services and infrastructure. As our neighboring counties know, growth cost money. Simply look at the sizeable bond offerings for schools in Wake County. And Wake County has a stronger economic development return than Chatham. Currently in Chatham, the primary source of revenue is property taxes. As the demands of growth increase (schools, public safety, infrastructure to name a few), property owners are slowly being taxed off of their property. I am most concerned on the impact it has on agriculture and affordable housing. The second existing option we currently have is impact fees. The problem with these fees, though, is that it is the same whether you are buying a modular home or building a $M+ home. This is punitive to low-wage earners. The Land Transfer Tax, which was defeated by the citizens of Chatham, was in essence like an impact fee, but its value was related to the value of the home, plus it was collected with the transfer of property. Sales tax is limiting in that a majority of retail sales actually leaves the County. In any event, the rampant residential growth in Chatham is a reality we must now face. It is important that we continue to keep our schools and communities strong and to push hard for economic development. Chatham County has more to offer than just being a bedroom community.

An economic development strategic plan has just been prepared for Chatham County. Is there anything you would do differently to bring jobs to the area?
 I really appreciate the hard work that has gone into this planning effort. Many in Chatham have been invited to participate and it is my hope that many more will become engaged as the plan unfolds. The document can be found at: http://www.chathamedc.org/pdfs/recommendations_april08.pdf. The most interesting part of the presentation centered on regional job growth. Raleigh-Durham is ranked among the top metro areas with a “super-creative” concentration of workers. Greensboro is ranked among the top metro areas with traditional industries. Chatham is located between these two regions, and it also mirrors these worker differences. Citizen preferences for quality of life amenities differ between eastern and western Chatham. In short, Chatham County can and should pursue both. But this will take infrastructure and will require the municipalities to join in with the County in solving these infrastructure issues. There is much to do and we need to join together to accomplish the goals of the plan.

Some Chatham County residents say it's difficult to find affordable housing. Do you agree with their assessment - and if so - what can be done to improve the situation?
 I do believe that affordable housing is an issue for Chatham. Most importantly it is becoming more of an issue for north east Chatham where the cost of housing has escalated dramatically, while the types of housing catering to medium and low income families has not kept pace with the rampant residential growth. My colleague, Mike Cross, has been successful in focusing on this issue and with the support of the entire Board (through some matching funds), has been successful in acquiring nearly $3.8M in the past two years for affordable housing. Twenty four homes have been built this year, compared to five the previous year. Also, under the Compact Community ordinance passed during early in my tenure, affordable housing was mandated as a requirement for compact community development.

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District 2: Mike Cross, Armentha Lee Davis and Jeffrey Starkweather face off for the primary.

Mike Cross 
Age: 64 
Current Profession / Occupation: Chatham Commissioner - Retired US Navy Commander
Are you an incumbent? -- Yes

Why should voters select you on Election Day? 
  In 2004, you  elected me as your commissioner on a platform of Honesty and Integrity. I swore in my oath of office to conduct the duties of my office “without fear or favor”. I have kept my promises to you.
 We are facing growth related problems far beyond anything we have experienced before. The solutions to our Potable Water, Treated Waste Water, Solid Waste Disposal and Public Transportation problems will require regional perspectives and partners. Neither Chatham County nor any of our municipalities can afford to address these issues alone. I have over three years experience serving on all of our regional  boards. As past District Director for the NC Association of County Commissioners, current 2nd Vice Chair of the Triangle J-Council of Governments and past Chair of the Regional Planning Organization, I understand the added value of partnerships. I have established working relationships with regional and state elected officials to a level that I am confident we will have their assistance as we move forward on these issues.
 I am conservative in some aspects of my life and progressive in others. I’m moderate, our voice of reason. I make every effort to build bridges where cooperation is paramount. I know that I have established mutually respectful relationships with our governing boards of Siler City, Pittsboro and Goldston.
 I do not have all the answers or the complete vision for our future, but I do consider all input in determining how I vote. I listen to all sides, do my own research and vote my own convictions. I do not vote political statements.
 We have developed an excellent Capital Improvements Plan, which includes full funding for school construction and we are moving Chatham forward in a planned and responsible manner.
 I work very hard, every day, in service to us and I have kept my campaign promises.
Chatham County is in a better position now, than we were three years ago, to face our challenges. I want to build on our successes. I take great pride in my service and I thank you for allowing me to serve us.
 Your support is critical and I ask for your vote on May 6.

 

Visit www.cross4chatham.com to view my record of service to us.


Counties in North Carolina now have the option to seek two new revenue options: a land transfer tax and a sales tax. Should one or both of these new revenue options be used in your county?
 One - Land Transfer Tax 

Please explain why you believe your answer to the previous question is the right decision for your constituents.
 Chatham is out of shape with heavy, high end, residential development and little retail, commercial and Industrial to help support our tax base. Approximately 60 percent of of working citizens go outside Chatham for employment and shopping while additional high numbers go outside Chatham for shopping due to lack of availability of the goods and services desired. We lose 7.8 Million per year in sales tax returns. A 1/4 cent sales tax increase would do little to help this situation. Family incomes vary tremendously throughout Chatham and the lower income families are being required to pay for the cost of growth through increases in property taxes. Property taxes come every year. According to the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, the LTT would only affect about 17% of our current citizens. one time.

An economic development strategic plan has just been prepared for Chatham County. Is there anything you would do differently to bring jobs to the area?
 The ED Strategic Plan has not yet been adopted, but with some fine tuning, I believe the BOC will get behind it. We have never had adequate funding/staff or a strategic plan required for a properly functioning EDC. I will pursue adoption of the plan with county and grant funding to support a proper ED effort.

Some Chatham County residents say it's difficult to find affordable housing. Do you agree with their assessment - and if so - what can be done to improve the situation?
 I surely do agree. I founded the Chatham County Affordable Housing Taskforce in 2005 and we have designated Chatham Habitat for Humanity and Empowerment,Inc as our affordable housing agents. By working with developer contributions, grants and matching funds we have moved the affordable housing fund from $0 TO $3.8 Million. Habitat for Humanity was able to build only 5 homes in 2005 and has built 24 during 2006-7. There are currently 6 homes under construction by Habitat (3 in PBO, 2 in Siler City and 1 near Silk Hope) and Pittsboro has just approved 10 additional lots for sewerage. Empowerment Inc will soon receive the first of 60 builder ready lots for affordable housing within the Briar Chapel Development.

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Armentha lee Davis 
Age: 66
Current Profession / Occupation:  Retired
Are you an incumbent? --  No

Why should voters select you on Election Day?
 Voters should elect me on election day because I will help to unite our County.Our county leaders need to sit down with other town boards and try to solve the problems we are facing today. We need infrastructure in place for water and sewage and by working together this can be accomplished. I also think voter should elect me because I am willing to make an attempt to lower your taxes, protect your property rights and provide industry in our couty which is so desperately need at this time. I am a candidate that is willing to listen to you the citizen about your concerns. This is why I am running in this election.

Counties in North Carolina now have the option to seek two new revenue options: a land transfer tax and a sales tax. Should one or both of these new revenue options be used in your county?
 None Of Them Should Be Used

Please explain why you believe your answer to the previous question is the right decision for your constituents.
 I do not feel we should seek new revenue options, because we have enough money being generated in our county to supply our needs.

An economic development strategic plan has just been prepared for Chatham County. Is there anything you would do differently to bring jobs to the area?
 The economic development strategic plan as prepared for Chatham County according to the firm that was hire to review it has too many commissioners on the ecomomic development board which creates a conflict of interest. When I am elected commissioner I will appoint the best qualified citizens to represent me on the Economic Board of Directors.

Some Chatham County residents say it's difficult to find affordable housing. Do you agree with their assessment - and if so - what can be done to improve the situation?
 I will work to elimimate unneccessay regulations and to work for a graduated scale on the impact fee.

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