1. Tell us about your background and why you feel your background makes you the most qualified candidate in this election.

Living in Watauga County for 46 years has made me appreciate and feel blessed to be in such a special place. I am the daughter of a naval officer, and my mother was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina. Both of my parents are buried at Arlington National Cemetery. I was raised to work hard and respect others. That has been my motto all my life. My daughters were born and raised here in Watauga County and attended our public schools and went on to receive Bachelor’s degrees at a North Carolina University. My 9-year-old grandson also is attending one of our public schools. I am a retired nurse who worked as a nurse practitioner for 38 years in Public Health, private practice, and college student health. As a nurse, I research a problem, make an assessment, and develop a solution or plan. This is the same approach I will use when I am a Commissioner. I am currently on the Watauga County Board of Adjustments, and I am active in my church with Sunday School, Vestry, and Altar Guild. My service to Watauga County includes four years on the Watauga County Commission, where I successfully worked to name the new Highway 421 “Doc Watson” Scenic Byway. No billboards are allowed to honor Doc even more. During my time on the Commission, I increased funding for special education needs in the school system. As the Fire Commissioner, I continued Fire Department supplements that are used for training and equipment. As a Blowing Rock Town Commissioner for eight years, I helped secure a $13 million bond to improve our Town infrastructure and Park and milled and paved every road in our Town. I was dedicated to completing the sidewalk from Main Street to the Bass Lake parking area, and I did. My recommendation to change our police vehicles to a Hybrid model saved the Town $40,000 in fuel costs. I am fiscally conservative and believe each taxpayer should know where and how their tax dollars are being spent. My service record is proven, not only with my family and my patients but also in public government service. For these reasons and my past experience, I know I am the most qualified in this election.

2. What would be your top priorities if elected?

1. Improve the emergency response system. The EMS Advisory Committee is reviewing the current for-profit emergency system versus a county-owned system. They will need a cost analysis to see what the price tag will be. The committee is also looking at Watauga Medics transport from WMC to a tertiary care hospital. This can leave our residents without an ambulance for 3-4 hours. I would like to see an ambulance bay on the 321 corridor to serve the people in the Blue Ridge and Blowing Rock precincts.

2. Support the public school system and increase teacher supplements. At this time, through the voucher system supported by the current NC legislators, public money is being used to fund private schools. Taking this money away from the public schools means they are burdening the counties with continuing needed school programs. Recruitment of teachers could be enhanced by returning this money to the schools and using it for teacher supplements. The State Legislators also removed retirement health benefits from State employees in 2021. As a former state employee, the excellent retirement benefits offset the lower pay I received compared to private companies. We are paying beginning bachelor-prepared teachers $41,000/year. In Watauga County, with continued cost-of-living wage increases, the minimum a Cook II makes is $43,000/year. As a community, we need to remember our vote can change this disparity.

3. Find solutions to the affordable housing problem. One-third to one-half of all single-family homes in Watauga County are VRBO or short-term rentals. During the economic financial crisis of 2008, developers stopped building single-family homes. When they restarted building in 2021, they didn’t build single-family homes. Instead, they built condos and apartment buildings with more rental opportunities and income. The apartments and condos are useful for workforce housing if they can afford the rising costs. If not, the Town of Boone and the County could apply for Federal Grants to repurpose buildings/older hotels into reduced-cost housing. These apartments would be rented by the month and controlled through the employer/worker relationship. The money would go to the motel owner or back into a fund for future workforce housing. Most families prefer single-family homes. There is an organization that has promoted a project called Leasing to Locals. Financial initiatives will be shared with the owners of the VRBO to change their short-term rental into a long-term rental.

3. What other county-level issues do you believe are important to Blowing Rock and its residents, and what is your position on them?

1. Weapon violence in schools and churches: It has become increasingly apparent that anyone, in any community, can experience gun violence. As a community, we need to work together to make sure our children and citizens are safe.

2. Lack of primary medical care providers: As a nurse practitioner, I have been trained to treat acute medical conditions and chronic health problems. The use of nurse practitioners and physician assistants can augment and reduce the shortage of healthcare providers. In the State General Assembly, there is a SAVE ACT Bill that would allow nurse practitioners to treat to their highest level of training and education. It is currently stalled in the NC General Assembly. Affordable housing has also impacted attracting physicians and other healthcare providers to the High Country.

3. Lack of retirement facilities with assisted living help: Many of my neighbors who have lived here for years are leaving Watauga County and seeking retirement homes where they can downsize and receive assisted living help if and when they need it. The Economic Development Commission and Chambers of Commerce need to encourage this type of business to come to the mountains.

4. Finding a balance between tourism and those who live here: Tourism is the income that drives Blowing Rock and Boone. When local residents can’t find a parking place or make a reservation for dinner, tourism is encroaching on the lives of the people who live here. I am not sure how to solve this issue, but I believe it needs to be discussed among the leaders of the communities.

4. How do you advise Blowing Rock residents to vote on the redistricting referendum on the ballot, and why?

For clarification, the ballot doesn’t use the word redistricting. It is instead called a Structure Change referendum. Senator Hise, who lives in Spruce Pine, changed the way the residents in Watauga County vote without talking to any of the current County Commissioners (all Commissioners are on record saying they didn’t know about the voter change). It bothers me that someone would change a system that has worked for years and tell 22,000 people that they can’t vote for a commissioner this year but will need to wait two years to vote. They have no say in choosing who will govern them. We have always had districts, and three commissioners would be elected by the entire voting public. In my opinion, Senator Hise made an effort to remove student rights to vote. Senator Hise, however, eliminated the local voters behind Earth Fare, behind the Jones House, the Junaluska residents who are many of our Black citizens, and the professionals who live in Council Oaks in downtown Boone. He also disenfranchised voters in New River 1 and 3 and part of 2 and part of the Brushy Fork community. His map was not designed by a certified mapmaker. The County Commissioners wanted all the people in the county to vote on who would represent them. Therefore, they hired a certified mapmaker who made three maps. The Commissioners voted and picked one map to represent voting districts in Watauga County. This is what the “Structure Change” referendum does. I would vote YES to allow the 22,000 voters who can’t vote for a Commissioner in 2024, to vote!

5. In what ways would you work to make Blowing Rock’s concerns a top priority for all Commissioners?

One of the concerns about people voting only for one commissioner per district is that the representative will not work with other commissioners. In addition, three commissioners could form a coalition and block any initiative that would improve the county. I am a Bridge Builder and have communication skills to work through problems and work with others. Because I live in Blowing Rock and have friends in all four of my precincts, I will work for all citizens.

6. What one word best describes why voters should elect you to the Watauga County Board of Commissioners?

Committed

7.  What sentiments regarding the aftermath of Hurricane Helene would you like to share with our county residents?

The people in Watauga County have stepped up to help others in need. Neighbors and volunteers are checking on each other, sharing generators, offering shelter and food to those less fortunate. THANK YOU!  This is what community fellowship and love is all about.

Electric crew volunteers, FEMA workers, fire and sheriff departments, Watauga County Schools and County employees, National Guard are all working tirelessly to assist our community.  THANK YOU!  Samaritan’s Purse resources set up generators and offered water to WMC so health care professionals could treat and care for patients. Their volunteers, along with other area Churches, are clearing driveways, removing trees from homes and helping neighbors clean off debris.  THANK YOU!

Neighbors and local restaurants are cooking food for others, some on grills, because they have no power. Community leaders and businesses have set up food, water and supply distribution areas and handled donations. Shout out to Lowes Hardware, who the day after the hurricane, had one door open to customers and the other door pushing the mud out of the building!  THANK YOU ALL!

As a nurse, I stand in awe of the nursing community. Not only the nurses who are delivering medicine, welfare checks and care on foot, horseback and 4-wheelers, but those who are helping at shelters and area hospitals. The UNC nurses who left their homes down the mountain and added extra hands to the staff at the hospital.  Nurses are a force to be reckoned with!!  THANK YOU!

My Commissioner campaign seems insignificant to the suffering, loss and displacement around me. As a politician, I am helping in small ways with volunteer work, helping friends move out of their condemned homes, donations and opening my home for showers, dishwashing and laundry services.

Politicians who are spreading misinformation, lies and creating fear within our devastated community should be ashamed. I am pleased with the accurate information coming our of Watauga County Emergency Service, Town managers, our local electric Co-op, our State Government leaders, the Federal Division of FEMA and the White House.  THANK YOU!!