In Pineville, four candidates are running for town council. None of the candidates are incumbents.
LES GLADDEN
Awaiting response.
BOLYN MCCLUNG
Why are you running?
To keep Pineville from becoming like Charlotte but at the same time grow the town in a way home and business owners find their investments increase over time and are secure!
Pineville is a highly desirable location for families wanting to live close to Charlotte conveniences but also wanting to avoid its density and traffic. As a current Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning commissioner, I’ve seen the pressure on public officials to keep-up with trends…to succumb to the glitter of new development. Pineville, only four miles square, can be a modern place and still maintain its historical place as a family-based community. I can use my five-years planning time and two-decades of community service to help Pineville remain that escape from Charlotte…a place that is a joy.
What is the biggest quality-of-life issue facing residents of your town and how will you address it?
Getting from point A to B on our streets!
Pineville is a great place with open spaces, trees and parks. In a few years the CrossCharlotte Trail and Sugar Creek Greenway will intersect here. Our future limitation will be how does everyone access these? As a former mill town, the old streets are narrow with homes and businesses close to the curbs. Space for bike lanes, sidewalks and new roads is hard to find. Even on-street parking is a challenge. The two major roads are the state’s responsibility: the town has little influence over them. My commitment is that every town council decision be a matter of quality-of-life.
How should your town deal with rising housing costs?
Town Council and staff should be well-educated in town planning.
Half of Pineville’s single-family housing is 50 years or older. They were built in times when five or six family members in 900 square feet homes was the norm. Today those houses are great for new smaller families but the reality is that Charlotte’s experience with gentrification might happen here. If so, our little town could easily become just another too expensive community. There is not much the town can do about citizens’ cost of housing but it can wisely budget so that taxes don’t jump. Pushing CATS for bus service closer to neighborhoods surely helps. Maintaining a top-notch fire and police departments lowers home owners’ insurance. And of course, continuing to invest in the town-owned telephone, cable and electric enterprises keeps rates low.
CHRISTOPHER C. MCDONOUGH
Awaiting response.
AMELIEA STINSON-WESLEY
Awaiting response.
