For information on different ways to register to voteclick, Yourvoter registration is linked to your residential address. We must continue to support this vital work. Listed on 2023-03-01. Provided bio: I am a native of Watauga County and have worked for App State Athletics since 2001. The county has to encourage building and development precisely because Appalachian State University keeps expanding. The county has been doing all we can since this started to give the community the support they need. if ($('#vis_xs_indicator').is(':hidden') || typeof VoterInfobyState_Resized!='undefined') { Cities | Kerley also spoke on embracing the diversity represented in the student body and coming to terms with differences. What do you see as the most pressing needs for infrastructure or capital projects in the county? The following candidates ran in the general election for Watauga County Board of Education on November 8, 2022. Updates with the latest news and information. in Downtown Boone. Maybe myself and interested App State students could work together to raise funds to help cover some of these unpaid lunch costs? 2023 Watauga County, NC, all rights reserved. Hours of Operations: Two priorities are at the top of the list: 1) Early childhood education, including increased availability of pre-kindergarten classes, especially for lower income families, and greater investment outside of the school system in early childhood services, and 2) greater progress on implementing the school systems capital improvements plan, including replacing two of the K- schools and completing major maintenance and improvement projects for most of the other. I want to continue dialogue with the representatives in Raleigh. Election information in North Carolina: Nov. 8, 2022, election. The members of BACC invite and encourage you to join! chevron = $(this).find('i.fa-pull-right'); My name is Mia Seligman. Also, board members are a part of the greater community, thus making it important to be available for families and students. As a candidate for County Commission, I hope to serve more people in my community utilizing the skills I have learned as a health care provider in our county. $("div.vis_widget_title").each(function(index) { Help Help DutiesThe typical seasonal entry-on-duty period is March-October but can be variableSee this and similar jobs on LinkedIn. Ashcraft also addressed personnel issues the county has been facing in recent years. He has worked on The Appalachian since freshman Abi Pepin (she/her) is a senior journalism major, political science minor, from Concord, NC. Counties | Childers believes the role of the commission is to find policies to enact within schools and find the very best people to instruct students. } If elected to the board of education, that individual protocol should not change. Monday - Friday As mentioned above, WCS was able to provide MiFi hotspots to many students, but we know cell service is not available in all areas of the county. The following questions were asked to Gary Childers, Jennie Hanifan, Chad Cole, Marshall Ashcraft, Jay Fenwick and Dustin Kerley. We are starting the planning and construction phase of the new Valle Crucis school, which is exciting. Board candidates file for election in January and the field is narrowed to six candidates during the May primary election. This is another area where state action and in this case, significant direct state funding is likely to be needed to make substantial progress. House District 93 (Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany), 579 Greenway Rd Suite 101Boone, North Carolina 28607United States. The Watauga County Planning Board is made up of seven members appointed by the County Commissioners. Our law enforcement and rescue services need to be fully supported by the commissioners so we can make sure citizens are safe. Full Time position. We also partnered with the Economic Development Commission, the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce and Mountain BizWorks to create the Re-Energize Watauga Fund. chevron.addClass('fa-chevron-down'); I am married and have a 12-year-old daughter. I see our small businesses as part of this development from tech companies or manufacturing, but I also see businesses like our brewing industry that can grow here as well. Any effort to work together to support and protect one another is a step forward. This is not something that you can sit back and wait on. I will support continued strengthening of the school systems efforts to ensure strong and fair recruitment practices and a more representative workforce. This is a big need, but a necessary one as our community continues to grow and expand into the western and eastern areas of the county. A special thank you to each of the candidates for their participation in the event, along with our venue host Appalachian Theatre, and our media partners at SkyBest TV and High Country Radio. Matt Walpole - Member Copyright 2023 - Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. Our board has invested in our health department to bring it to a more stable financial situation and provide it with the resources to protect our citizens. What do you see as the boards roles and responsibilities? I walked alongside those who were homeless and mentally ill. Click HERE to find out. Hanifan also emphasized the need to keep agenda and political conversations out of childrens education. }); Not all testing approaches should be applied to everybody and on an individual growth basis, Hanifan said. Legal. The Boone Chamber (of Commerce) has done an incredible job in helping us to provide forums for us to share and help each other. Lastly, social services continues to be underfunded by the state and we are having to make up the difference. Watauga County Board of Elections Credential check will begin at 8:30. Fenwick discussed the multifaceted process teachers in the county use to make decisions on what children are reading in classrooms. if (document.readyState === 'complete') { To hire the best possible people. Job specializations: . chevron.removeClass('fa-chevron-up'); A few of the needs I see in our county include: repairing and replacing our aging school buildings, affordable housing, expanding broadband to rural communities, supporting renewable energy such as wind and solar. For example, the county is contracted with a private firm to build a solar farm at the old landfill. In Watauga County, 43.88% of all adults have earned a bachelor's degree or higher. Locally owned businesses have suffered greatly and some may never recover from the mandated shutdowns. 91.5 Chapel Hill 88.9 Manteo 90.9 Rocky Mount 91.1 Welcome 91.9 Fayetteville 90.5 Buxton 94.1 Lumberton 99.9 Southern Pines Listed on 2023-03-01. Another service of special importance to low income families is pre-kindergarten classes. Watauga has been receiving COVID relief funds that we have been distributing to local agencies. That is where the planning starts. This in-person voting allows voters to cast their ballots ahead of Election Day. Election Day is Nov. 8 and with 19 candidates on the local ballot, Watauga voters have many decisions to make. I work in Campus Dining at Appalachian and I was a political science major many years ago. Credential check will begin at 8:30. The landfill needs improvements to make the process safer, smoother and more user friendly for our citizens. Questions will come from audience submissions as well as suggestions from the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Government Relations Committee and the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce Community and Government Committee. Candidate Marshall Ashcraft (Nonpartisan) Gary L. Childers (Nonpartisan) Chad Cole (Nonpartisan) Jay Fenwick (Nonpartisan) Jennie Hanifan (Nonpartisan) Dustin Cole Kerley (Nonpartisan) = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. How to run for office | We are both multi-generational Watauga County natives. I think if we can just work with our counselors and support services to help boost these kids confidence and just make them feel like social optimists and get them back on track and feel like school is the best time of their life, Kerley said. The forum event allowed state and local candidates to inform the local business community about their platform, goals, and objectives. I dont think transitioning into a grade is what I call successful. 5:00 Venue opens and seating area open to the public, 5:15 - Candidates for US House of Representatives, 6:00 Candidates for Watauga County Sheriff, 6:45 - Candidates for Watauga County Board of Education, 7:45 - Candidates for NC House (Districts 93 & 87), House District 93 (Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany), 8:30 - Candidates for Watauga County Commissioners. Working and learning from home has absolutely identified areas with little or no internet access. The role and responsibilities of the BOE are vast and many in governing a school system. Listing for: Sidley Austin . As a board of education member, I would like to be an advocate to help find long-term solutions to these issues. The Watauga County Board of Elections (BOE) removed modems from 29 ballot scanners. }); Moss Brennan (he/him) is a senior journalism major with a minor in political science and media studies. They have a right to know their curriculum and they should be involved and its our duty to serve them to do so, Hanifan said. Expansion into the county is inevitable, however it must be done in a responsible and sustainable fashion. March 4, 2022 Candidate filing for the 2022 election season came to a close on March 4 at 12 p.m. after it re-opened on February 24. I hold true to treating others as I would like to be treated. $(window).on('resize',resizeChevron); We need a five-year plan so that citizens can know if they have a medical emergency, they will receive care and transport as quickly as possible. Your local source for propane and heating fuels. Childers emphasized the importance of school advancements and the current curriculum implemented in Watauga County Schools. Obviously, I endorse washing hands and using hand sanitizer as recommended by the doctors. It is essential that eastern and western Watauga County have an ambulance station. Click [show] on the table below for examples: Following the 2020 presidential election, 47.1% of North Carolinians lived in one of the state's 22 Solid Democratic counties, which voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election from 2012 to 2020, and 46.3% lived in one of 68 Solid Republican counties. 163, 336-846-2421, Lenoir: 100 Cooperative Way, 828-758-4401. The Planning Board also acts as the review board for subdivision plat approval. Meet the Candidates: Watauga County Board of Education McNeil Johnston Andrew Rice, Kaitlyn Potochnik, K. Slade, and Mia Seligman November 7, 2022|812 Views Election Day is Nov. 8 and with 19 candidates on the local ballot, Watauga voters have many decisions to make. The Boone Area and Blowing Rock Chambers of Commerce hosted the 2022 Watauga County Meet the Candidates Forum on Thursday, October 6th at the Appalachian Theatre in Downtown Boone. Finally, support personnel such as school nurses and school social workers are important to all students, but are especially valuable to lower income families. I have lived in the High Country for 30 years. } If I had to choose just one goal, it would be that I will be an effective, supportive and accessible board of education member for the nearly seven hundred employees and four thousand students. Everyone should have an even playing field and the resources required, now that teleworking and online education have become the norm. If elected, it would be essential for the board to listen, do their best to understand the issues, and provide the support and care needed in making the best decision they are able. Federal courts | The current antenna is part of an antiquated system that is in dire need of an upgrade. Also, with support from community groups and companies, hotspots have been offered to help many students gain connectivity at home. VoterInfobyState_Timeout_jquery = setTimeout(widget_load_check_jquery, 500); The county looks at the overall area of Watauga County. Moss Brennan and Abi PepinOctober 4, 2020|418 Views, The following questions were sent to each candidate for the Watauga County Board of Commissioners. Work with our local commissioners and representatives to provide funding for this. Knowing your candidate choices in advance and being familiar with the ballot will help your voting experience go more quickly. These are the most pressing needs I see for Watauga County: We really need broadband Internet access for all of our citizens. It does not matter about the journey, race, ethnicity, orientation, or affiliation. Ashcraft also discussed the need to address the countys growing population and provide support services for mental health in order to de-escalate tensions that can lead to violence in schools. Moderators David Jackson, President/CEO of the Boone Chamber of Commerce, and Omer Tomlinson, Co-Chair of the BACC's Government Relations Committee, posed questions to candidates from audience submission, along with suggestions from the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Government Relations Committee and the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce Community and Government Committee. Ashcraft emphasized the school climate in order to prevent safety issues in the school systems. We do know that we have some and lets keep in mind that one town, Blowing Rock, affords their own and so even though there are grants that are paid back to it, we still have to afford the other schools, Hanifan said. I am an advocate for helping our university and county school students. Watauga County Administration Building - 814 W. King St., Boone 28607 Appalachian State-Plemmons Student Union - 263 Locust St., Boone 28608 Blowing Rock Clubhouse (Rotary Bldg) - 108 Lakeside Dr., Blowing Rock 28605 Deep Gap Fire Department - 6583 Old 421 S, Deep Gap 28618 Meat Camp Fire Department - 4797 NC Hwy 194 N. Boone, 28607 Watauga County Board of Commissioners District 1, Watauga County Board of Commissioners District 3, Watauga County Board of Commissioners District 4, Watauga Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors. Fenwick emphasized the way Watauga County Schools have closed the learning gap other counties are experiencing. . I want to improve our Watauga Medics coverage to make response times better. } These committees dont determine whats taught. But, as far as businesses go, I would remove all restrictions on them so they could open up and carry on with their livelihood. Begin at 8:30 been doing all we can since this started to give the community the they! 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