Mayor Woods Files for Re-Election - Calls for "Stability"

Filing for this year's municipal elections kicked off on Monday.  So far, in Davidson only Mayor John Woods has filed for the top office in town.

In an email to supporters after filing, Mayor Woods said

"Our community faces major challenges in the coming years including the continued economic vitality of the commercial areas,  job creation, neighborhood support,   increased residential development pressures, the continued need for housing affordability, and a greater need for regional partnering to best enhance our quality of life.    With Town Manager Leamon Brice ending his twenty-five year tenure and the hiring of his successor, management stability is a major focus.  The development of transportation alternatives including public transit is a key issue.  Effective communications will always be a major focus."

Last cycle the mayor ran unopposed, but this email sounds like he expects a challenger this time.  Any challenger would have a target-rich environment when looking at Wood's record.

Over the course of Wood's tenure as Mayor we've seen the town burdened with subsidies for Mi-Connection - a purchase Woods championed as a commissioner.  Davidson has maintained by far the highest tax rates of any of our neighboring Lake Norman area towns.  The town has implemented the highest solid waste fee of any area municipality - one that is several times most others.

A champion of affordability, he is not.

As the chair of the Red Line Taskforce, Woods allowed the town to spend untold numbers of hours supporting a financing plan for the rail project without ever securing actual permission from Norfolk Southern to use their property for the project.  The Mayor has also been a very active supporter of the plan to toll I77 with HOT lanes - coming to its political rescue on a number of occasions

A visionary for sound transportation planning, he is not.

Finally, when it comes to communication, Mayor Woods has a habit of saying that anyone he disagrees with is spreading "misinformation".  That's just a nice way of calling someone a liar.  He has likened toll road opponents to "invaders" when they show up at meetings.  He has often brow-beaten commissioners in efforts to control the agenda.

A great communicator, he is not.

Let's hope someone steps up to the challenge and at least makes Mayor Woods work for it this time.  We could do with a little less of that kind of "stability".

Incumbent commissioners Stacey Anderson, Jim Fuller, and Brian Jenest have also filed for re-election to the Board.  Filing continues through Friday July 17th at noon.