Candidates for the Town of Huntersville Board of Commissioners answered questions from WFAE about why they should be elected (or reelected).
ROB KIDWELL (INCUMBENT)
Occupation:
General Manager of a Manufacturing Company
Political experience and/or advocacy groups you are affiliated with:
6 years as a town commissioner of Huntersville (2013-2017, 2021-2023)
Does your town get adequate resources from the Charlotte Area Transit System considering the countywide half-cent sales tax that helps fund it? If not, do you think your town would be better served keeping the money to create its own transit solution?
We receive resources, but it is nothing close to the amount of tax dollars the Town of Huntersville has given in to the system. We would be better off creating a regional, interlocal transit system with a portion of the sales tax revenue, and have CATS continue to supply alternative transit options to get to the City of Charlotte.
In its role on the Metropolitan Transit Commission, does the city of Charlotte (54% voting power) listen to the needs of surrounding towns?
No, and they wont. Charlotte forgets that we all need to work together to make our entire region strong. The other municipalities understand this, and try to work with the leadership of Charlotte, but are met with stiff rebuttals. While Charlotte is an economic HUB, most of the people who drive it live outside of the city.
What is the biggest quality-of-life issue facing residents of your town and how will you address it?
Overgrowth in the CMS school system, and roads. For the past two years, I have been one of the only commissioners who has voted against rezoning's of neighborhoods for higher than normal densities. We can not put a moratorium on growth by state statute, but we can deny rezoning request to help slow it down.
What should Huntersville do to address climate change?
I think it is up to the individual to make the choice in how they want to address climate change, not the government.
What is your top priority as a commissioner of Huntersville?
Controlled development, limited government, and low taxes.
AMBER KOVACS (INCUMBENT)
Kovacs has not responded.
Occupation:
Nonprofit Consultant
Political experience and/or advocacy groups you are affiliated with:
I am Vice-Chair of the Huntersville Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission, Chair of Precinct 207 for MeckDems, and appointed to the CMS Community Equity Committee. I am also affiliated with Unity in Community North Meck, LGBTQ+ MeckDems, Democratic Women of Mecklenburg County, North Meck Progressives, and Dems of North Meck.
Does your town get adequate resources from the Charlotte Area Transit System considering the countywide half-cent sales tax that helps fund it? If not, do you think your town would be better served keeping the money to create its own transit solution?
Additional bus stops that have been added to the Huntersville area are appreciated, as well as the upcoming microtransit pilot program focusing on North Mecklenburg towns. However, Huntersville has yet to receive any notification that bus shelters will be built in our town. Bus shelters provide a place to sit, protection from the weather, and a feeling of safety and security. Our residents frequently mention the lack of shelters and seating at bus stops as a hindrance to utilizing public transit. Additionally, Huntersville needs to see documented proof of progress in the negotiations with Norfolk Southern, or an alternative Red line proposed.
In its role on the Metropolitan Transit Commission, does the city of Charlotte (54% voting power) listen to the needs of surrounding towns?
The current weighted structure of CRTPO needs to be revised to be better aligned with other Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and more representative of the metropolitan area as a whole. Nationally, only 26% of MPOs that serve a population greater than 1 million use a weighted vote system. A system that gives more voting power to surrounding towns when they are directly impacted while still allowing Charlotte to have a dominant position on “Charlotte-centric” issues would help provide balance while still factoring in population size.
What is the biggest quality-of-life issue facing residents of your town and how will you address it?
Growth. Huntersville continues to grow quickly, and it is the responsibility of Town Commissioners to follow the 2040 Plan when evaluating projects. Rapid growth has also led to a severe shortage of workforce and affordable housing, and gentrification threatens to displace residents in lower-income neighborhoods. There is no simple solution. I will advocate for an Inclusionary Housing Ordinance or Housing Trust to provide for the preservation and creation of housing options for low and moderate-income households in a way that prioritizes options for the essential workers that work in Huntersville, and for our elders that would like to age in place. I will work to attract projects that are innovative and help keep Huntersville’s unique charm, like agrihoods, which integrate community farming into a residential neighborhood. I will also advocate with state legislators to allow municipalities to assess impact fees, which would help pay for new roads and schools when a new development is built. Finally, the side effects of growth are contributing to air pollution, runoff in our waterways, and disappearing open space. Environmental protection and preservation need to be part of the solution.
What should Huntersville do to address climate change?
Huntersville can be more proactive in collaborating with regional partners and local organizations on effective, equitable climate action steps. As Huntersville celebrates its 150th anniversary, work needs to be done to make sure today’s actions protect tomorrow’s residents. I will fight to create a climate action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, build community resilience to the impacts of climate change, and address climate equity. I will work towards preserving and expanding walkable streets with shaded sidewalks to protect residents from climate stressors like heat and flooding, and preserving urban agriculture, pollinator gardens, and tree canopies to help maintain the resilience of our environmental habitats.
What is your top priority as a commissioner of Huntersville?
My top priority is to work on the challenges Huntersville faces from a perspective rooted in inclusion and equity, while also utilizing an accountability model of governance that clearly identifies goals and measurable targets to evaluate success.
MIKE DEVONEY
Devoney has not responded.
Occupation:
Product Manager
Political experience and/or advocacy groups you are affiliated with:
I served as my Precinct Vice Chair since 2020, and Precinct Chair now for 2023. Most of my advocacy has been as a PFLAG Member. Through PFLAG I have served on multiple panels, news interviews, board meetings, and serve as presenter for both their Allyship in the Workplace and Healthcare Outreach Campaign workshops.
Does your town get adequate resources from the Charlotte Area Transit System considering the countywide half-cent sales tax that helps fund it? If not, do you think your town would be better served keeping the money to create its own transit solution?
No, Huntersville does not get adequate resources. However, I’m not sure creating our own transit system would be the best solution. Before going that far, we’d need to do a cost/benefit analysis. For now, I believe it’s best to focus on the negotiations with Norfolk Southern and see some progress with getting the red line up here.
In its role on the Metropolitan Transit Commission, does the city of Charlotte (54% voting power) listen to the needs of surrounding towns?
In some ways. We do have some additional stops in our town now but it would be great to have bus shelters, especially with the temperatures as they are today. I believe they have been requested multiple times now.
What is the biggest quality-of-life issue facing residents of your town and how will you address it?
I’m hearing two main things from residents; 1. The town is growing fast and infrastructure has not kept up. We have a 2040 plan for development and I think it’s best to stick to that plan as closely as possible. I would also like to look into the Dillon’s rule structure of the state. In Home state rule, the town is able to require developers to have a plan for the surrounding streets (add a light, stop sign, turn lane, etc). I believe this would help our town keep up with the development. 2. Affordable Housing. For many families, their kids go away to college but then can’t afford to come back to Huntersville to start their adult lives. Our Police, Firemen, Teachers, office workers, can’t afford to live in the town they work. I would like to focus some development on apartments and condos that allow these folks to live and build a life here in town.
What should Huntersville do to address climate change?
The red line would be a good start. Beyond that, we can do a better job about environmental stewardship in town. We have wonderful greenways, making our town more walkable and bikeable but they don’t reach the neighborhoods that need it most. The expansion should help but adding bike lanes to roads without greenway access would be even better.
What is your top priority as a commissioner of Huntersville?
My number one priority is to get a non-discrimination ordinance approved for the town. We should be clear about protecting our citizens from discrimination regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, natural hairstyle, or familial status. This seems like a simple way to tell all of our townsfolk that we are here for them.
FRANK GAMMON
Gammon has not responded.
MICHAEL GANDINO
Gadino has not responded.
Occupation:
Content Writer
Political experience and/or advocacy groups you are affiliated with:
N/A
Does your town get adequate resources from the Charlotte Area Transit System considering the countywide half-cent sales tax that helps fund it? If not, do you think your town would be better served keeping the money to create its own transit solution?
We do not get adequate resources from CATS, although the microtransit pilot is a step forward. Since CATS is improving and has the infrastructure set up, it doesn't seem feasible for Huntersville to create its own transit solution. We need to continue leaning on them to add additional routes to better serve our area. Additionally, we need to increase connectivity through greenways and bike paths to provide alternate forms of transportation.
In its role on the Metropolitan Transit Commission, does the city of Charlotte (54% voting power) listen to the needs of surrounding towns?
It has been suggested that MTC is a "rubber stamp" for Charlotte, meaning that it does not listen to the needs of surrounding towns. There may be solutions to bring more power to smaller municipalities; for instance, if the municipalities collectively have 51% voting power, devise solutions, and vote accordingly, it may force the city of Charlotte (at 49%) to embrace the solutions or collaborate meaningfully to find solutions.
What is the biggest quality-of-life issue facing residents of your town and how will you address it?
The biggest quality-of-life issue facing residents is traffic. While many of the congested roads are maintained by NCDOT, the new board can be intentional and deliberate regarding zoning/rezoning issues to prevent further overdevelopment and road congestion.
What should Huntersville do to address climate change?
Huntersville should institute a town composting program, add pollinator habitats, protect the tree canopy, strengthen tree ordinances, and install electric vehicle charging stations. A Sustainability Committee should also be created to advise staff and the board on further mitigation techniques.
What is your top priority as a commissioner of Huntersville?
My top priority is environmental stewardship because climate change touches everything. It exacerbates numerous issues, including development, infrastructure, quality-of-life, equity, and more.
Occupation:
Real Estate and Finance Professional
Political experience and/or advocacy groups you are affiliated with:
Since December of 2017 I have served on the Huntersville Ordinances Advisory Board. I previously served as chair and vice chairperson as well as serving as chairperson of the Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) Sub-Committee.
Does your town get adequate resources from the Charlotte Area Transit System considering the countywide half-cent sales tax that helps fund it? If not, do you think your town would be better served keeping the money to create its own transit solution?
No we do not get adequate resources from CATS. In the last two fiscal years, Huntersville has paid approximately $8,767,924 into CATS and it is highly unlikely that we are receiving benefits equal to what we have paid in. We would be better off either contracting with CATS for service or creating our own local transit service.
In its role on the Metropolitan Transit Commission, does the city of Charlotte (54% voting power) listen to the needs of surrounding towns?
In the past likely not but there appears to be signs of improvement example being the proposed Microtransit Pilot Program (on-demand transit option) that would serve the North Mecklenburg area.
What is the biggest quality-of-life issue facing residents of your town and how will you address it?
Traffic. I have spent the last four plus years developing solutions and a comprehensive understanding of the Town’s related authority and I began proposing potential solutions in February of 2019. We can better address the problem via changes in policy. Currently, we are not using all available authority and the authority we are using is not being used to its fullest extent. Please visit www.electmattjones.com for more information.
What should Huntersville do to address climate change?
Attract more local employers to reduce the number of miles driven, allow development flexibility, via ordinance changes, to reduce the amount impervious surface created, increase mass transit options and consider other options allowable under the Town's authority.
What is your top priority as a commissioner of Huntersville?
Addressing traffic and housing attainability. Please visit www.electmattjones.com for more information.
JUSTIN WILLIAM MOORE
Moore has not responded.
Occupation:
Manufacturing Executive
Political experience and/or advocacy groups you are affiliated with:
Huntersville Greenway Advisory Board, Park and Recreation Advisory Board and Downtown Planning Steering Committee (approximately 10 years total)
Does your town get adequate resources from the Charlotte Area Transit System considering the countywide half-cent sales tax that helps fund it? If not, do you think your town would be better served keeping the money to create its own transit solution?
Our town citizens have contributed this extra tax with nothing to show for it. We would be better off getting that money ourselves to support transit and road needs.
In its role on the Metropolitan Transit Commission, does the city of Charlotte (54% voting power) listen to the needs of surrounding towns?
No.
What is the biggest quality-of-life issue facing residents of your town and how will you address it?
Our biggest concern is to manage growth to better match the road capacity currently in place.
What should Huntersville do to address climate change?
We should evaluate our town vehicle fleet efficiency and make prudent purchases going forward. Additionally, we should make efforts to preserve our current tree canopy and seek to encourage the planting of native plants and trees, particularly for town projects. As an advocate for sidewalks and greenways, we must continue our progress of building out our pedestrian network that all citizens can access.
What is your top priority as a commissioner of Huntersville?
Manage the town's growth per the town's strategic plan, the Community Plan 2040.
Occupation:
Retired
Political experience and/or advocacy groups you are affiliated with:
Ambassador for 6 candidates/officials political campaigns; member of Unity in Community; Lake Norman Social Justice Committee Member; United Missionary Baptist Church Association Social Justice Committee Member; Member of NAACP; Member of Black Political Caucus; Associate Member of Democratic Women of Mecklenburg County; Founder of Hopewell High School Men of Honor Program; Active Member of Hopewell High School’s Dads on Duty; ElectEdwinQuarles.com
Does your town get adequate resources from the Charlotte Area Transit System considering the countywide half-cent sales tax that helps fund it? If not, do you think your town would be better served keeping the money to create its own transit solution?
Huntersville does not get adequate resources from the Charlotte Area Transit System considering the countywide half-cent sales tax that helps fund it. With Huntersville having its own transit solution, it would create a system that will still be reliable on the Charlotte Transit System. Once we bring more sustainable jobs and affordable housing to Huntersville, that will work. I have a plan for this question.
In its role on the Metropolitan Transit Commission, does the city of Charlotte (54% voting power) listen to the needs of surrounding towns?
They may listen, but the real question is what actions has been taken. Listening is one thing, but it’s the actions we must evaluate. The actions are inadequate. There’s $100,000,000 needed for all the buses alone. A lot of residents in Huntersville have to go out of their way just to get from Point A to Point B to get to their Point C destination. They have inadequate access to public transportation. The Metropolitan Transit Commission actions make me give a No to the question! The answer to this can be found at ElectEdwinQuarles.com “Transparency and Accountability”.
What is the biggest quality-of-life issue facing residents of your town and how will you address it?
Being a veteran, I must take a different approach than many. The quality of life for our veterans is less than that of those who live in the city of Charlotte. Our veterans in Huntersville are so overlooked. I would address this developing a veterans service hub to serve our men and women who served so we can live in this great town.
What should Huntersville do to address climate change?
Green our commute and improve public transportation that would reduce the number of vehicles that travel in our town. Another, create bike lanes and encourage biking in our community. Lastly, for climate change initiative in Huntersville, I have a build green plan.
What is your top priority as a commissioner of Huntersville?
As commissioner, my top priority will be transparency and responsive governance “open communication”; accountability “all levels of government”; and smart growth “preserving Huntersville’s unique character and quality of life”. Additional exploration to each can be found at ElectEdwinQuarles.com
LATOYA C. RIVERS
Rivers has not responded.
Occupation:
Risk Management
Political experience and/or advocacy groups you are affiliated with:
I am an Unaffiliated voter (the largest "group" of voters in NC) with a long record of voting in municipal elections. I have served on various appointed boards in both Charlotte and Huntersville. I am not currently affiliated with any political advocacy groups, but I am a very engaged resident of Huntersville and have been working to keep other residents informed about what is going on at town hall for the last six years by sharing board meeting agendas and meeting notices in a social media group dedicated to Huntersville politics.
Does your town get adequate resources from the Charlotte Area Transit System considering the countywide half-cent sales tax that helps fund it? If not, do you think your town would be better served keeping the money to create its own transit solution?
No, Huntersville does not get adequate resources from CATS. Although thanks in part to the prior town board under Mayor John Aneralla, Huntersville was able to secure better funding for rapid transit bus stations around town. And yes, I believe in local control and will work towards Huntersville keeping more funding in town if elected.
In its role on the Metropolitan Transit Commission, does the city of Charlotte (54% voting power) listen to the needs of surrounding towns?
Charlotte may listen, but its representatives on the MTC will still always vote in the best interest of Charlotte - no different than how Charlotte controls the CRTPO with its weighted voting structure.
What is the biggest quality-of-life issue facing residents of your town and how will you address it?
The usual issues that result from living in one of the fastest growing areas in the country: traffic and schools. I will work to responsibly manage growth working within Huntersville's zoning code and land use plans and I will prioritize spending on road improvements over non-motorized transportation spending if the $50M transportation bond is passed by Huntersville voters in November. And I will continue to be an advocate for increasing the educational options available to Huntersville parents to meet the needs of all students and reduce overcrowding in our schools.
What should Huntersville do to address climate change?
Huntersville residents can take any number of individual actions to address climate change in the best way they see fit.
What is your top priority as a commissioner of Huntersville?
Making Huntersville the most transparent local government in the state and ensuring our town is always in compliance with open meetings and public records laws.
ANNA RUBIN
Rubin has not responded.
Occupation:
Retired
Political experience and/or advocacy groups you are affiliated with:
I was elected in 2017 to my first term as a Huntersville Town Commissioner. Re-elected in 2019, I have served on the following: Huntersville Regional Chamber of Commerce, Visit Lake Norman Board, Centralina Regional Council, Greenways Trails & Bikeway Commission, Parks & Recreation Commission, Public Art Commission, Planning Coordinating Committee, and Communications Liaison.
Does your town get adequate resources from the Charlotte Area Transit System considering the countywide half-cent sales tax that helps fund it? If not, do you think your town would be better served keeping the money to create its own transit solution?
The northern towns including Huntersville continue to be without rail service. The hope is that ongoing negotiations with Norfolk Southern will eventually be successful allowing for the Red Line. That said, it’s going to be a heavy lift to get support for the half cent tax without some concrete proof that rail is coming. Huntersville residence have paid a huge amount in taxes over the years without benefit of rail service while paying extra money to get home via toll lanes.
Transportation issues are regional and go beyond the borders of Mecklenburg County. It would make no sense to keep that money locally thinking Huntersville could somehow use it to solve a regional issue.
In its role on the Metropolitan Transit Commission, does the city of Charlotte (54% voting power) listen to the needs of surrounding towns?
Walsh did not answer this question.
What is the biggest quality-of-life issue facing residents of your town and how will you address it?
Managing growth will continue to put stress on the entire area including Huntersville. There are projected to be 700,000 new people moving the Charlotte region by 2040. The town of Huntersville which has about 65k+ residents is expected to (with current zoning) increase somewhere between 100k-125k residence over the coming years.
This kind of growth puts pressure on a variety of municipal resources including roads, parks, police, fire, etc. Investments in all of these comes at a cost. Our overall quality-of-life will be negatively impacted if we do not make sustained investments to stay ahead of the curve. This includes attainable housing because we will only thrive in a diverse community that is affordable for all.
What should Huntersville do to address climate change?
There are several opportunities to address climate change locally. I would say that we lead by example. I purchased my first EV and the town should be looking at their future fleet of vehicles to see where we can migrate to EVs. Installing charging stations around town will also encourage that transition.
Non-motorized transportation is a critical part of our infrastructure. We need to continue to focus on greenways, bikeways, and other ways for folks to get around town without getting into their cars. This reduces our carbon footprint and leads to a healthier community.
Mix used developments is another way to positively impact our climate. When you have people working, shopping, eating, and recreating within walking distance of where they live … you are reducing our carbon footprint.
What is your top priority as a commissioner of Huntersville?
Our road infrastructure and non-motorized transportation improvements must continue to be a top priority. The Town Board continues to allocate limited town funds to partner with NCDOT on road projects including the Main Street Road Project (underway) and Gilead Road West. The US-21 Gilead Road Bridge Project has started. During my term on the board, we directed our Town Manager to evaluate road projects and work to get them shovel ready. Currently, we have over a dozen road projects in various stages of design and build.
Non-motorized transportation gets folks out of their cars and leads to a walkable and more a more healthy community. In collaboration with a grant from NCDOT, we adopted our first Bike Plan Update, which includes modifications and expansions to the Bikeway and Greenway system. I worked with our staff, the county staff, and elected officials to accelerate the building of greenways which will add over 6-1/2 new miles.
Occupation:
Accountant and Human Resources Manager
Political experience and/or advocacy groups you are affiliated with:
I am not a politician, just a regular citizen. I don't advocate for any particular group.
Does your town get adequate resources from the Charlotte Area Transit System considering the countywide half-cent sales tax that helps fund it? If not, do you think your town would be better served keeping the money to create its own transit solution?
No, unfortunately, Huntersville does not get adequate resources from CATS, despite the half cent sales tax that helps fund it. Huntersville offering it's own transit solution might give more local control and tailored services, but it would also depend on factors like cost, feasibility, and integration with existing systems. While I cannot say that it would be a better solution at this point, it could certainly be something that the town explores in the future.
In its role on the Metropolitan Transit Commission, does the city of Charlotte (54% voting power) listen to the needs of surrounding towns?
The extent to which the city of Charlotte listens to the needs of surrounding towns appears to vary. If you look at the CATS area transit map, you can see that towns on the south side of the city are getting more attention than the towns on the north side of the city. This creates significant gaps in transit opportunities on the north side of Charlotte.
What is the biggest quality-of-life issue facing residents of your town and how will you address it?
The biggest quality of life issue facing residents in the town of Huntersville is infrastructure strain due to the rapid growth and increased development the area continues to see. We have a growth and development plan, the Huntersville 2040 Plan, and I would like to see us more closely follow that plan when considering development and rezoning requests within the town. To deviate from the growth plan, I believe there must be a demonstrated need for the particular components of the proposed plan within the town. Additionally, community support for the development must exist. Slowing down and being more selective with development will allow time for our infrastructure to grow.
What should Huntersville do to address climate change?
To address climate change, Huntersville will need to adopt a multi-faceted approach. A combination of strategies such as enhanced public transportation, promoting a green infrastructure in new development, adding composting or rain-water catchment programs, increasing community education events, and collaborating with our neighboring towns for regional efforts will be necessary.
What is your top priority as a commissioner of Huntersville?
One of the biggest complaints I hear from citizens is that they don't feel heard, and I understand those frustrations. My top priority is being committed to actively listening to our community, valuing their input, and working towards implementing solutions and strategies that reflect their needs and concerns. Building a transparent and responsive communication channel with the community is imperative.