Q&A: Democratic county commission candidates

For the first time in 16 years, Iredell County Democratic party is holding a primary for its Board of Commissioner candidates.

The event for many of the candidates means more than a hole punch on May 6, but a possible shift in how the county’s government operates.

Fred Coggins, Chuck Gallyon, Eugene Shuffler, Barbara Orr and Mark Vanek each have their own ideas on how county government should be run.

Whether it is the way growth is handled, the manner money is raised for school construction or residential development — the candidates say something needs to change in Iredell County.

In order to do that, candidates told the R&L how they would tackle zoning challenges, school construction and growth management.

How would you handle controversial zoning cases?

Coggins: I would meet with the people that were planning the zoning, and then sit down and have a conference to decide what to do with it.

Gallyon: Zoning is an issue. I’ve done subdivision review, and if I have to make a hard decision that’s fine.

When I make a decision, I consider what is in the best interest of everyone concerned.

Shuffler: Zoning has a purpose. There are exceptions to it, but you just have to use good judgment.

You are not going to make both parties happy. The deciding question for each of those cases is what is best for the county.

Vanek: I will stand up with the courage and conviction to fight on behalf of the citizens that elect me! It is fundamentally wrong for the county government to single out a small area of land or section in an existing neighborhood and place it in a different zone from that of neighboring property, unless of course it is made for the benefit of the community at large. As County Commissioner I want to assure the public that I will work closely with the Iredell County Planning Board to establish consistency with regards to planning in zoning matters. Also, I feel that it’s important that we gather as much input as possible from the public on proposed zoning revisions. As is too often the case, my Republican counterparts tend to put the needs of special interests and developers ahead of the constituents they are sworn to represent.

What did you think about the failed building permit moratorium for Brawley School Road? How would you have handled things differently?

Coggins: Ten years ago, I would have had a study and I would have put a moratorium on there.

They would have not built for four or five years.

Gallyon: I have a problem that the County Commissioners would tell someone what they can do with their property. You want to help the homeowners. You have to plan your growth.

Shuffler: They announced they were going to have a moratorium and everyone went to get their building permits.

It was a little too late. That was blatantly obvious.

Brawley School Road was never meant to carry near the traffic volume.

I think a lot of people who bought property out there didn’t know what they bought into.

Vanek: In 2007, the Iredell County Commissioners approved a residential building cap for the Brawley School Road peninsula. However, up to 90% of the area’s undeveloped lots may be exempt. Once again, our Republican County Commissioners are saying one thing while looking the other way when it comes to our public’s best interests! We need an actively engaged, strong-minded County Commissioner, like myself, that will focus on reducing growth on Brawley School Road or at the very least controlling and directing it. As County Commissioner I will strengthen the oversight of the Growth Management Study for the Perth and Brawley School Road Area.

What are your ideas for growth management?

Coggins: I would give a tax breaks to big companies if they would guarantee they would come into the county, and they would stay there 50 years. If they didn’t stay, they would have to give back all the money.

I would give a tax break to the working middle class people to handle that growth.

Gallyon: In real estate, they have location, location, location. Here we have growth, growth, growth.

We need to look at more cooperative growth. You have leaders that want to give the quality of life to the residents. Every area of the county should be united, and utilize your serves together for the betterment of Iredell County.

Shuffler: You are a little handcuffed in what you can do and can’t do.

My first point on that is we need to do a better job of planning and planning coordination.

Review at frequent intervals as changes occur so you can adjust and react to what is going on.

Developers and county planners need to work together and not have an adversarial relationship.

The county office is there to help them. You need to have a cooperative effort and not an adversarial relationship at all.

We need to as county commissioners, we can be an advocate for the county. We can lobby our legislatures that actually do have some control over the roads, so they can lobby and influence N.C. Department of Transportation.

I know one of the things we talked about was the agriculture business districts, and we need to move forward with that.

Vanek: As County Commissioner, I want to improve our voters’ quality of life through Smart Growth! People naturally flock to areas with guaranteed green space. As your County Commissioner, I say that we promote growth, while not letting it get out of control! It is my opinion that we annex a certain percentage of county land as green space to offset the ’run amuck’ growth our current County Commissioners support. I am a strong advocate of mixed-use development: protecting our countryside, while encouraging urban growth.

I say, that we create a Traffic Impact Fee on new development! If a developer comes into a region, and is responsible for the growth; and profits directly from that development of that area… that we pass the cost along to the developer… not the overburdened taxpaying citizen! This is what they do in other states and counties around the country. The reason we don’t know about it is because we have developers as our County Commissioners and developers funding their campaigns. This is like the proverbial fox guarding the hen house. Also, let’s hold developers accountable for simple things like pedestrian walk ways and bike paths. In some neighborhoods, our kids aren’t even able to safely bike to school because they’re going to be run over by someone yapping away on the cell phone.

What did you think of the recent Certificate of Participation sale? Did the commissioners handle it properly?

Coggins: I think the bonds weren’t handled properly. I think the vote should have been put to the people.

Gallyon: You are always going to have to borrow money to build schools to keep ahead of the growth.

With the growing cost of construction, let’s borrow as soon as we can to stay ahead of what we are doing.

Shuffler: It’s a very large amount of money they are borrowing. It was the most efficient way for what they are going. There is not any real difference between a COPs issue and General Obligation bond. The county isn’t going to reprocess the school. It is a better way to go.

Vanek: Yes, but No.

Our County Commissioners recently passed a $120 million school bond — Certificates of Participation, for the improvement and creation of new schools as well as to purchase land surrounding the local landfill.

Yes of course, I want to guarantee that the entire county has safe, state-of-the-art schools, rather than leaving some neighborhoods to worry whether their schools will ever be repaired. However, taxpayer-subsidized building projects in this county have a long history of cost overruns. It is my opinion, that we need a new County Commissioner, like myself, in place that will demonstrate they can implement these projects on budget and on time.

No! On December 18th, 2007 the current County Commissioners approved a contract to purchase a 28-acre tract of land surrounding the landfill at a price of nearly $3 million dollars! That’s over $105,000.00 an acre, for land that’s going to be used as a landfill! With the real estate market the way it is, I believe the citizens of Iredell County deserve someone in office that is willing negotiate a better price. As I always proudly say, “It’s not what you make, but what you save!“

Posted on 05/01/08 at 08:31 AM
Iredell County •County Commission • (0) Comments

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