Title: City Attorney 

Municipality: Shelby

Positions Interested In: At Large - Attorney

Q&A's:

TELL US WHY YOU WOULD LIKE TO SERVE IN A LEADERSHIP POSITION AT THE LEAGUE. IN PARTICULAR, SPECIFY GOALS YOU WOULD LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH AS AN OFFICER OR BOARD MEMBER AND INDICATE HOW, IF ATTAINED, THEY WILL HELP TO ACHIEVE VISION 2030 – THE LEAGUE’S FUTURE VISION OF HOW CITIES AND TOWNS WILL OPERATE IN 2030?

I believe I can contribute as a board member by offering a unique perspective as an attorney that has practiced in Wake, Durham, Orange, Granville, and Cleveland Counties. Transitioning from Durham County, where I lived for 14 years and witnessed the economic boom and development to a tier 3 county in Cleveland County, I have witnessed the vast economic disparity across NC. Areas such as the Triangle will continue to attract different jobs, often high page technology and pharmaceutical jobs, while areas such as Cleveland County will remain a focus for manufacturing. While this increase in growth and jobs is beneficial as a whole for the State of North Carolina, it has the result of creating further class divides that will be extremely difficult to address financially as revenue sources change due legislation affecting property taxes and personal income, as well as a loss in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. This will place a greater demand on elected officials across all divisions to provide innovative approaches to economic stability while maintaining balanced growth, for without growth, cities will be unable to pay for the increased needs of its citizens and the high cost of infrastructure that resulted post pandemic.

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TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A MUNICIPAL OFFICIAL. YOU MAY WANT TO INCLUDE INFORMATION ON YOUR SERVICE ON THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNING BODY, OTHER RELATED BOARDS AND SPECIAL AREAS OF INTEREST?

I am newer to municipal government and I am still growing within the field. I have lived in NC for 16 years but prior to that I grew up in Ohio where I obtained an undergraduate degree and master's degree in public administration (MPA). Having an MPA has helped me to navigate the daily demands of city staff and legal challenges that I am tasked to deal with. I am also a new member to the N.C. Municipal Attorney's Association Board, where I have been able to participate in planning future trainings and career development. I hope to continue to develop in all aspects of municipal law and ways to offer more training opportunities across the State.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND, PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, AND/OR COMMUNITY OR CIVIC ACTIVITIES?

I am originally from Ohio, where I went to Kent State University and earned a Bachelors of Arts and Science (cum lade), a minor in Philosophy, and a minor in Pre-Law. I later went on to earn a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from Cleveland State University prior to moving to NC at the height of the recession in 2009. Once I achieved in State residency, I was able to apply to law school and attended N.C. Central University School of Law, where I graduated cum lade and was a member of Law Review. While not as active in volunteering as I would like to be, I previously volunteered for the DEAR Foundation, Teen Court, Legal Aid, the Wake County Public Defender's Office, and various events for my local Rotary club. I have also served as a parent aid, along with my wife, for our daughter's Girl Scout's Club and her elementary school.

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HAVE YOU PARTICIPATED IN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING NCLM EVENTS OR COMMITTEES?

• Regional Meetings

PLEASE PROVIDE ANY OTHER INFORMATION YOU WOULD LIKE THE NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER?

I am excited for the opportunity to collaborate with other leaders from across the State to discuss and try to tackle various obstacles that we all face in our efforts to provide the best services and support we can to our citizens. I am also hopeful that I will be chosen as the lone attorney representative as a person that now lives in an attorney desert. Rural communities that are growing face unique challenges of trying to attract and retain in house counsel, such as myself, or paying the high costs for firm representation. In most cases, however, the reality is that outside counsel is still needed in the event the municipality is sued, placing it at risk and in need of utilizing its insurance coverage. These realities are not the same across larger municipalities that retain multiple attorneys or that traditionally higher outside firms to provide support. Coinciding with these constraints/concerns in the budgetary constraints such expenses play on a municipalities ability to grow.