(Chris, his son Matthew, and his late father Mike)
On Monday, July 6, I filed to run for my third term on the Southern Pines Town Council.
One of my main goals in my six years serving on the Council has been to develop
a comprehensive long-range plan for the future of Southern Pines. The planning
process is well underway and the plan should be complete and adopted around
the end of the year. Though it will have taken a lot of time and effort to
develop the plan, that is only the first step. A big task we face, especially
over the next couple of years, is to begin implementation of the plan.
I decided to run for re-election because Southern Pines not only needs Councilmembers
with experience but also someone who, for years, has supported and fought
for updating our planning. Without a driving force behind implementation of
our new plan's recommendations and goals, it very well could be forgotten
and left to wither on the vine, much like the 1988 plan was.
In the simplest terms, I am running for Council because I love this town.
It is a very special place and I was very fortunate to grow up here. I want
to do my civic duty help to ensure Southern Pines continues to be a special
place for natives, newcomers and visitors well into the future.
I ask for your vote to re-elect me to the Council because I have the best
combination of skills, experience, and drive that the Council and Southern
Pines need moving forward.
-With six years of service on the Southern Pines Town Council, I have a record
of accomplishment showing a consistent and pragmatic approach to making Southern
Pines the best it can be. Because I believe the residents of our town deserve
to know the "why" too, I am by far the only candidate who consistently
lays out his rationale for important decisions and am often the only candidate
with an identifiable platform. Even if you do not always agree with me, you
know where I am coming from.
-I am the only candidate running for a 4-year seat who is currently employed
and operates a business. Not only does this keep me more in tune with the
local business climate, it gives me much more of a connection with the thousands
of working residents in our community. Finally, being personally responsible
for making a payroll every two weeks is a keen reminder of the fiscal responsibility
the Council has to local taxpayers.
-At 37 years-old, I am the only candidate or Councilmember who is under the
age of 50. Considering more than half of the residents of Southern Pines are
also under 50, it is good for the Council to reflect as much diversity as
possible. Plus, as I've said before, I plan on being here for at least 50
more years, so it is in my interest to keep Southern Pines a wonderful place
to live in and visit.
This site is the personal property of Chris Smithson. It is hosted locally by ConnectNC and is not part of, affiliated with, or even close to being an official site of the Town of Southern Pines.