MEET THE CANDIDATES
Editor’s note: Candidates' statements have been edited for space.
Hannah Styles
hstyles@thesmokymountaintimes.com
Bryson City registered voters, be ready to make your voice heard Thursday as early voting starts for the 2021 Bryson City Town Alderman Municipal race. Election Day will be Tuesday, Nov. 2.
You must live in eligible municipal districts to vote in this election.
Aldermen represent citizens at city and county levels. There are two seats up for election this year.
There are three candidates in the race: incumbent Ben King and newcomers Steven Augustine, and John-Mark Gallagher.
Early voting begins on Thursday, Oct. 18 and ends Saturday, Oct. 30 and will be held at the Board of Elections Office. Hours will be Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and 8 a.m-1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23 and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 30.
Those who have not already registered can do same day voting during early one stop but not on election day.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 2 with polls open from 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.
Last week, the Swain County Board of Election voted to combine the location for BC1 and BC2 for this year's municipal election. The location will be at the federal building (50 Main Street).
Note that a photo ID will not be required in any election this year.
Anyone with questions about voting eligibility, registration, polling places, or early voting can call the Swain County Board of Elections at 488-6177. Check your voter registration online at www.ncsbe.gov.
Meet the candidates
BEN KING
Town Alderman Ben King is running for his second term.
“Four years ago, I wanted to join the board to be a part of making positive changes that will help Bryson City stay relevant as we continue to grow and evolve. Since being elected I have gained so much knowledge about how municipalities operate, and the many responsibilities we have to our residents, business owners and visitors. As well as how long the ever-growing list of town needs is! Bryson City is my home and has been for the majority of my life. My wife, Brenae King, is a math teacher at Swain County High School and we have been adjusting over the past four weeks to life as parents after welcoming our son Riley King into the world on September 16th!”
King is the co-owner/operator of Bryson City Outdoors in Bryson City, NC and Fire Mountain Outpost in Cherokee, NC. As a local entrepreneur, he said he is always looking for ways to contribute to a healthier downtown atmosphere and overall community.
“We have been blessed to be able to call Bryson City home, and to have the support of such a great community that has allowed our business to grow into what it is today!”
King says there are so many priorities for the town, that he could not pick just one. He said if he had to narrow his scope to an overarching priority it would be for the Town Board to stay proactive, and to not let Bryson City continue to stay behind the ball on so many issues.
If re-elected, King said he would continue working on a huge list the board as been addressing over the past four years and his top items include: raising wages for town employees, continuing the work on updating aging infrastructure, using downtown space to make town more relevant and enticing for new business owners, purchasing property to build a new multi-use municipal services building, and finish updating Bryson City's ordinance book and updating Land Use Development Plan.
“I encourage anyone that has any questions to please reach out to me at ben@brysoncityoutdoors.com or catch me around town!”
STEVEN AUGUSTINE
Candidate Steven Augustine is originally from Orlando, Florida, but moved here full time in 2001 at the age of 19.
“My original trips to the Smokies were as a youngster with my parents and I immediately fell in love with the area. Splashing and fishing through the creeks and rivers of WNC was all I wanted to do. I returned in my early teen years to work at a Boy Scout Camp near Bethel NC where I learned to whitewater kayak. As soon as I could, I moved to Bryson City, and took a job as Raft Guide on the Nantahala River.”
Augustine is a graduate of Western Carolina University. He said he is happy to still call Bryson City home with his wife Laura and two-year-old son, 21 years later. And said he can confidently say that nowhere else has the same beauty and soul as our little town.
“My goal as alderman would be to ensure that the soul of this town remains the same, while at the same time seeking opportunities to improve the lives and wellbeing of those that call it home.”
His immediate priorities would be to aid in the decision making of the current issues the town is facing.
“The sewer system is at the top of the list currently and while not a very glamorous project, is an extremely important one. Housing would be the next big topic on my personal agenda. Specifically, creating more affordable and longer-term options for people in town.”
He wants to address the homelessness issue in town and connect them with resources that exist in the community. He is also very passionate about the natural resources in town, and wants to lead efforts to make spaces, like Island Park, more usable for families in Bryson City.
JOHN-MARK GALLAGHER
Candidate John-Mark Gallagher and his wife Janice manage the McKinley Edwards Inn here in Bryson City. John-Mark is a businessman who has owned and operated a real estate office, property management company, two restaurants and a construction company building custom homes.
After moving to the area three years ago, thinking it would be temporary, they fell in love with the area and Bryson City especially. John-Mark's father was in the Air Force so he said he has lived in many places throughout his life.
He and his family enjoy traveling, exploring the world and getting immersed in other cultures, foods and languages.
“You can take away a lot from other cultures that can benefit our own situation here in the United States at all levels of life, be it national or local” he said. “What we’ve learned in the past couple of decades exploring the world is that any democracy is fragile, even our own. It is very important for everyone to get involved, take a stand, speak out and use their right to vote. There are many people around the world that don’t have the right to voice their opinions.”
Gallagher stays busy with the Inn, vacation rental properties and looking forward to becoming more involved with the community. He spoke of the old saying “if you want something done, give it to a busy person.”
He said his main priority, if elected, is connecting small businesses with city government to make optimal use of land, and addressing the parking, restaurant, and water issues.