Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Alleghany County candidates at library forum focus on schools, jobs, seniors and infrastructure
Loading...
Summary
At a Friends of the Alleghany Public Library forum, nine candidates for county commissioner outlined priorities including trade education and youth services, property-tax relief and improved EMS/communications, and competing approaches to economic development and county budgeting ahead of the March 3 election.
About a dozen candidates and community members took part in a Friends of the Alleghany Public Library candidate forum where those running for county commissioner presented competing priorities ahead of the March 3 election.
Organizers Pat Pauley (chair), Joyce Steeves (manager, Books and Friends used bookstore) and timer Brandy Wittenberg opened the event with rules and timing. Candidates — including incumbents and challengers — gave three-minute introductions and answered questions on infrastructure, education and services for older residents.
Several candidates identified the county’s fiber-optic broadband as an asset to build on for economic development. "The technology of the mind is the future," said Matthew Williamson, a small-business owner who urged developing tech programs in the new high school to attract jobs. Others said roads, gas lines, water and sewer extensions and reliable power are necessary for larger-scale industry and that parks and recreation and schools are key to keeping young people in the county.
Candidates repeatedly raised trades and career-technical education (CTE) as a concrete priority. Multiple speakers urged welding, HVAC, plumbing and mechanics programs in the county’s new high school to create local careers and keep graduates in the area.
Public safety and volunteer emergency services drew frequent mention. David Higgins, a long-serving volunteer fire chief, urged greater transparency for county meetings and better funding for volunteer departments, saying, "These meetings need to be open." Brand (Brad) Nade, a longtime volunteer firefighter and former school-board chair who made a separate four-minute pitch, warned that county radio and communications problems are a safety risk: "Communications is gonna get somebody killed."
On fiscal questions, candidates were split on approach. Incumbent Greg Walker said he would prioritize keeping taxes from rising and seeking accountability in spending, while others called for opening the budget and making county finances more transparent so voters can weigh priorities. Several candidates noted the county’s low tax base and reliance on grants and state funds; Bobby Erwin cited a $57,000,000 school investment that included a county contribution of roughly $6.5 million and a recent roughly $1,000,000 grant toward landfill work.
Aging-population concerns prompted calls for property-tax relief for older residents, expanded council-on-aging services, better ambulance coverage and programs such as Meals on Wheels. Candidates warned that reappraisals and tax shifts could imperil farms and longtime residents and emphasized planning to avoid displacing those households.
Organizers closed by reminding attendees about early voting and the March 3 election and encouraging residents to contact the Elections Office for information. An audience member raised concerns about grants and taxpayer money during a brief question period before candidates exchanged closing remarks.
The forum did not include formal votes or endorsements; it served as an opportunity for voters to compare platforms and for candidates to highlight priorities if elected.
