Tim Forrest: 2025 Holly Springs Town Council Candidate

Episode Transcript
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Amanda Benbow Lunn (00:09):
Hello friends, welcome back to the NC
Deep Dive podcast.
I'm your host, Amanda BenbowLunn, and today I'm honored to
be speaking with Tim Forrest aspart of our 2025 Municipal
Election Candidate Conversations.
Tim is running for thefour-year seat on the Holly
Springs Town Council.
For this race, Tim will berunning against Annie Drees,

(00:33):
Josh Prizer, Sarah Larson, JoeCuccurullo and Kara Foster.
These races are non-partisan,so there will not be any party
affiliation like an R or a Dafter their name on your ballot.
You will be eligible to votefor up to three of these
candidates for this seat.
On your ballot.
In this election, the top threevote-getters will join Holly

(00:55):
Springs Town Council membersDanielle Hewetson and Chris
DeShazor to make up itsfive-member body.
In these candidateconversations, each candidate
will be asked the same questionsformulated by our constituent
survey, observing communitymembers in person and online,
and fine-tuning with AI to keepthem as fair, unbiased and

(01:16):
open-ended as possible.
Without further ado, my friends, let's dive in.
Welcome, Tim Forrest, to theNorth Carolina Deep Dive podcast
.
You're running for the HollySprings Town Council.
If you want to take a fewmoments to tell me a little bit
about yourself, how long you'velived in the area and what has
inspired you to run forre-election.

Tim Forrest (01:38):
Thank you, Amanda, it's good to see you again and
thank you for having me on yourpodcast.
I believe it's beneficial tolet everyone hear from different
mediums and different ways toget the message out and the
differences between candidatesand how important that is as we
go into the election on November4th Real quick.
As you know, many people in thetown know it's been my honor to
serve in Holly Springs TownCouncil since December of 2021.
I retired from the Army as aColonel Engineer.

(02:00):
I'm a husband.
I'm a husband, I'm a fatherwith four boys and I still have
two more in high school overhere at Holly Springs High
School.
So I've been well understandingof the Holly Springs school
environment and Wake Countypublic school system, and I've
spent my life focusing onservice, whether it's been in
uniform or overseas or righthere at home in Holly Springs.
I'm very blessed to have awonderful wife of almost 18
years, almost 20 years total.
They've been a great partner aswe moved on through this

(02:22):
adventure in politics andelection cycles.

What has inspired you to run or run again
?

Many things Over the past four years.
We've had a lot of success.
We really have.
We worked hard, the entirecouncil, the entire town staff.
As most people know, we have apart-time lobbyist that helps us
with the legislature and theDOT and also the legislative
action committee that we cameout with in 22.
It was established here in thetown, made up of council members
and senior town staff and themayor.
With all that said, over thelast four years we've worked

(02:50):
hard with colleagues and eachother to deliver results.
Part of those results isrecently announced, in May of
this year, by the District 5engineer for NCDOT that we've
secured $236 million in stateinfrastructure funding.
It's the largest in the town'shistory and it's just for the
town.
And many people don't realizethat because the town's just now
getting the social media pushedout over the next few weeks.

(03:10):
But we're modernizing signals.
We're widening key roads like55.
We're widening Avent FerryPhase 2, fixing Sunset
Intersection where Sunset andHolly Springs Road and Optimist
Farm all meet.
That's going to be fixed andpart of that funding.
We've also expanded water andsewer capacity.
We continue to expand it.
As you know, the Tri-Riversystem with Sanford, fuquay and

(03:30):
Pittsboro and some othermunicipalities have joined so we
can secure our water for thefuture from the Cape Fear River
Valley and as we continue that,we've also, as you know, we have
Eagles Landing Park.
That's under construction nowfrom the bond in 23,
overwhelmingly passed by all thevoters.
We've built more greenways andrevamped recreation sites at
Womble Jones and many otherparks, as well as maintaining
our ISO one level rating withthe fire and a high quality
police department focused oncommunity policing first and all

(03:54):
the while supporting majoreconomic development from Amgen,
fuji Genentech, as you'verecently heard in the
announcements, and there'salready CSL Secures here, which
does a great job, and they're agood town partner as well, and
that economic development haskept us and will keep us into
the early 2030s if we continueto budget and be fiscally
responsible.
We're the second lowest taxrate in Wake County for a town,

(04:14):
a municipality, and next year wewill be the lowest.
The town ahead of us, cary,actually raised rates for next
year, so we're keeping costs low.
However, none of this happens bymistakes.
It's good planning, it's goodbudgeting.
It's how we have a unifiedvision, for the most part with
council.
The school system and publicservices maintain and keep pace
and they're prepared for moregrowth.
So Holly Springs I want it toremain a community where

(04:56):
families can put down the roots,where our seniors know they're
supported with all differenttypes of people.
Backgrounds are welcome always,but I don't think we're done.
We got to keep up a smart,balanced growth and grow ahead
and focus on the future.
So the promise I made in 21 isthe promise I still keep today.
Actually, I've got this as aquote.
I'll keep listening, betransparent and continue working
across the aisle with everybodyto deliver solutions that

(05:18):
benefit the entire town.
And that's really thebackground of the why and what I
see the future could look likeif we maintain a proper
governance approach to how wepull the whole town to the next
level.

Awesome, have you been an active voter,
including in local elections?

Yes, as far as I'm sure I know, I voted in
elections and municipals andyeah, absolutely.

What do you feel is the role of a town
council member?

That's a great question that I think is
important to get out there.
The town council member hasmany descriptions.
We could talk for probably anhour and a half on what a town
council member should do, butI'll keep it as succinct as
possible.
The town council member youknow there's only five of us
plus a mayor and we're a boardof directors for the town.
As you know, the town manageris our CEO, who runs the town
for us on the day-to-day cycle.

(06:01):
We set the vision, the strategy,the ordinances, the policies
and it's their job to executethose.
In addition, that's our job tonetwork with other
municipalities, legislature,state government, other
organizations to move the townforward and negotiate A lot of
federal, state and other grantsthat are out there.
The more municipalitiesinvolved, the higher up the
rankings you go.
So it's very critical that wework with everybody, from state

(06:24):
legislatures to federal, toorganizations such as RTA, campo
, the Council of Governments,which is now called Central
Pines.
You know we need to continueall the efforts and all the
pressure points to move our townforward.
We're not having some good luckby mistake Careful planning,
careful consideration,networking, discussing plans and
moving forward with those.
So as a council member.
We also can't forget, it'scultural.

(06:45):
We're all residents, we're yourneighbors, we live down the
street.
Typically, if somebody wants tomeet, 99% of the time I can
meet with them in a week or soand have a cup of coffee or meet
at a park or meet at town hallor wherever they want to meet
and talk about.
what are the issues, areconcerns.
I've always been open to anygroup that wants to discuss.
I've met with them anytown-based group to say what
their concerns are and listen toit and see how we can move

(07:06):
together.
Many times I found it's a lotof like misinformation or
unknown information and usuallyonce that's kind of clarified
there's a differentunderstanding and a different
level of need or differentconcern from those groups.
So a council member is manyfolds, but most importantly we
represent the community at large.
We owe it to ourselves to talkto anybody that wants to talk to
us communicate out what's goingon in council as well as make

(07:27):
hard, difficult decisions frompolice to fire, to engineering,
to parks and rec, which is a lotof engineering and then over to
general town management, towngovernance.
It's not easy Really.
In my opinion, you need a realbreadth of knowledge of a lot of
things, which, with mybackground in the Army, I have a
lot of those already and I'vebeen able to bring a lot of that

(07:48):
into the town.
As far as understanding howthings are supposed to work, how
things do work, not just like aprocess or procedure, but how a
strategy and a vision,interpreted by policy,
interpreted by ordinances,actually affect things on the
ground, and that is somethingthat has to be an understanding
for a council member.
In my opinion, that's theshortest answer I can give you
without going off into crazytalk for an hour and a half.

What is your involvement within the
community and town governmentand what qualifications make you
prepared to continue this role?

Yeah, great question.
As always, I still participatein scouting.
I was a district chair forSouthern Wake Scouting America
now, which is still the BSA name, which, as well.
I get to work with youth andadults throughout Southern Wake
as their youth and adults arelearning about scouting and
growing and hiking andbackpacking, and that's been a
very much of a blessing and alsoa way to keep in touch with
issues across Southern Wake aswell as here in Holly Springs.

(08:40):
In addition, I'm the councilmember for Parks and Rec, the
lead council member for Parksand Recreation Advisory
Committee.
That has allowed me to stayvery in tune to the Parks and
Rec issues.
In addition to that, I stillserve when I can.
I help with the Holly SpringsFood Cupboard.
I help with differentorganizations such as Sleep in
Heavenly Peace, which buildsbunk beds for youth without beds
.
We have another build coming upin a couple of weeks.
So on a Saturday, instead ofbeing out knocking doors, I'll

(09:02):
be running some saws and puttingstuff together Awesome, and so
those are things that I wasdoing before I was a council
member that I still do, as wellas the council level.
It's a whole different tempo.
So I attend the RTA, theRegional Transit Meetings, which
about eight different countiesand almost all municipalities
participate in, and how to bringawareness to the state and
federal government for ourtransportation needs Air, rail,

(09:23):
sea, interstates, highways.
I participate in the CentralPines Council of Governments,
which is made up of 13 countiesand almost 30-something
municipalities.
That actually works towarddifferent areas, such as the new
hospital opening at Viridiathrough US1.
That was something that CentralPines actually lobbied with the
state to develop over the years,which of course would be, as
you know, the children'shospital, which will have almost

(09:44):
a hundred beds for mentalhealth, not counting all the
different specialties it'll have.
So those are things that go onbehind the scenes, that, while I
do write about it every now andthen, social media that largely
goes fairly unnoticed eventhough it's out there as well,
as also participate in othermeetings with Triangle Community
Coalition Triangle other.
Triangle associations that havean impact on our town.

(10:04):
Like the Triangle ApartmentsAssociation, I go to their
meetings to make sure that wecan share, as well as meetings
with other municipalities.
Annually we have meetings withApex, fuquay and Cary town
councils for the most part tohelp figure out for the official
kind of discussion, how we canpartner on things such as our
recent Cary council meeting.
We met last week and we actuallydiscussed.

(10:27):
They have a lot of excesscapacity in one of their
wastewater sewer treatmentplants already.
That would actually benefitpart of our town that has no
capacity or very limitedcapacity.
So those are discussions thatwe could easily tie into to
still provide services for ourresidents but at a lower cost,
because it's already built andit's excess.
So I don't want to talk toomuch about Cary, but that's one
example of multiple engaged.
There's no shortage formeetings.
Some weeks are 15-hour weeks forthe town and some are 40 and
50-hour weeks.
One of the biggest shocks Ifind for most new council

(10:49):
members is when Friday morningor Friday afternoon at 12, 1
o'clock you get the packet forTuesday night.
It's 1,500 pages and you wantedto go on a family trip that
weekend.
You have to study that, youhave to know it, you have to put
the time into it and it shows.
And those are things that Ithink are critical to do and to
follow up through and stayconnected to the community and
how to push forward with thecommunity as well.

What's your long-term vision for the future
of Holly Springs?

I think the long-term vision for Holly
Springs is great as we look atthe town itself as a whole.
We could talk smart growth, wecould talk development, we could
talk a lot of different topicsthat go into that, but the
reality is is we're at a pointwhere we're in a good glide path
.
We have a good vision that'sbeen developed over several
councils, with only like minortweaks here and there.
We have a good strategy that'sfocused on good governance, both

(11:35):
building economic development,big and small businesses, not
just big business.
We're focused on smallbusinesses too, we're focused on
the good parks and rec, thegood fire, police, the public
services, you know, all the wayto garbage collection, and those
are all things that we continueto focus on and develop to the
next level, but realistically,through growth and development,
adding in some of the economicdevelopment we have added in.
If we can be patient for theeconomic incentives to wear off

(11:56):
the Amgens, the Fujis, theGenentechs, the Crescents, the
other life science, bioscienceindustries, our tax base for the
town will almost double in thenext seven years without raising
a single dime of taxes on aresident.
I can't say anything about WakeCounty.
We have nothing to do with WakeCounty taxes.
However, if we can continue tobe methodical, patient, continue
the plan step-by-step,step-by-step it's existing right

(12:17):
now.
By the early 2030s, or reallylate 2030s, parks and greenways
will be excellent.
There'll be more parksavailable by the end of the
2030s as we start building onthe west side of 55, not just
Ingalls Landing Park but others.
We need to actually get intoFire Station 4.
Land is being purchased thisyear for construction and,
depending on budget cycles 27,potentially to build Fire
Station 4 off Sunset.

(12:38):
She'll help with our ISO levelone rating and service to our
town.
In addition, by that late 2030sarea we'll have all the
greenways, a lot of the parksand we'll continue to have a
good town as well as developingthe downtown.
So part of that vision, as youknow, is you're very tuned into
things.
Our downtown development planstarted off as a village
district plan.
Now it's just downtowndevelopment plan.
It's wanting to bring that lifeto the downtown and it's under

(13:00):
the way right now from theinitials of Block on Main and
other construction items thelast seven, eight, nine years
that are pivoting us toward agreat downtown where people can
come relax, socialize, takingTing Park and focusing on sports
entertainment and saying how dowe develop that in that area?
So, especially since it's on amain street of 55 and with all
the facilities already there,how do we increase restaurants

(13:20):
or shops or other sportingvenues that would like to be a
part of that, to grow that aswell?
So by the late 2030s 2040, I'dsay the town will be on a great
path understanding, well-builtout water, sewer a great
position, roads in a much betterposition.
We're never going to build ourway out of the road issue, but
we will be much better off inthe next few years with all the
money from the state.
And I see a town that's vibrant,welcoming of all, loving, with

(13:46):
the capacity to stay focused onthe town and the next level.
So the Council of 2040 canfocus on other topics.
Do we need more stuff?
I fully agree.
I'm excited about the potentialformation of an Arts Council
here.
We need that.
I'm excited that there's somepush and discussion now across
many different groups for, like,a Performing Arts Center.
Those are all things we need asour culture side grows as well.
To service the culture side, wedefinitely need the farmer's

(14:07):
market to grow and a building.
We definitely need all thesethings that do cost money but
over time they can happen if thetown's wishes for that to
happen, if the residents wishfor that to happen.
So those are things that I lookat and the vision I see is a
good town by the mid 2030s,because a lot of the roads would
be improved by then, and thenby 2040, I see a great town.
I do.

Okay, what are your top three priorities
for our community if reelected?

Great question.
It's kind of like, you know,almost like at your own house.
Right, you have a budget, youhave so much money, you have the
top things you want to get donethat year, whether it's a
vacation or whatever it is.
Or maybe you have a 16-year-oldor somebody going to college
needs a vehicle.
Then you have all the otherstuff that has to go on as well,
right, like you've got to payutility bills, you've got to pay
insurance, you've got to do alot of things.
So same thing, but on a muchlarger scale.

(14:52):
The town, smart and balancedgrowth has to happen.
It's been okay since then, butwe need to revise the UDOs again
.
We need to reanalyze how we'redoing that, because we're
missing, in my opinion, themissing middle, and we have to
get more after the missingmiddle, like your townhomes,
things of that nature when werevised it previously great
intentions, great results, butwe really didn't emphasize the
missing middle.
We need to come back with themissing middle.

(15:13):
And that's not lost on me.
That's just one aspect of smartand balanced growth.
At the same time, thanks to theUDO we currently have in place,
from the time a developer walksin the door of town hall to
makes it to council, only 20% ofthose developments get approved
.
And the ones that do getapproved, they meet a very high
standard that we set out in 22.
Curb and gutter they pay theirown water, sewer connections
Prater 22, the town was helpingon that.

(15:35):
They pay for connections to thegreenway or if it's too far
away from the nearest connection, they do a fee in lieu to go
for a future connection there.
They have to improve their roadfrontage.
If it requires a stoplight bythe traffic impact analysis,
they put in a stoplight.
We don't play anymore.
Holly Springs needs thedevelopers to build for their
development, not cost thetaxpayer money for that
development, and that has slowedour development down to 20%.

(15:57):
I know you're well aware we'venever talked about this, but I
know you're extremely plugged in.
There's state laws that say youcan't stop development unless
you have a major reason.
Well, one of the benefits in 23, before the election cycle, we
actually passed the water policybecause we recognize, with the
growth of the town, we need toprotect our water and our sewer
system, and that's actuallyapproved by state law.

(16:17):
And so we say you've got topass this water policy test if
we're going to allow you in oneof the buckets for it to work.
And so we've taken theremaining water that we have
available, which is plenty,plenty of water right now and
will be thanks to planning.
However, until we finish theconnections to Cape Fear, until
we finish the development, wewant to be very careful with
that.
So our water policy isextremely critical.
If you want to build, then youhave to go above and beyond to

(16:39):
get the criteria to go into thisbucket, and that necessarily
doesn't mean they're buildingtheir frontage.
They could be doing more things.
So the water policy actuallyhelps that as well.
And I'm going way off base backto your original question of the
three, but for smart, balancedgrowth there's like several key
factors in there that make itsmart and balanced and good for
Holly Springs.
That I think I wanted to hit on.
Secondly, I think we have toprotect our community character

(17:00):
so it's not just the small townfeel that's important, Like when
I walk through downtown peoplesay hello, I've never seen that
person in my life, but they'refriendly.
I like it.
We do that also with the designstandards for downtown and
around town, making sure theymeet that kind of warming
feeling, keeping building heightkind of low, so we're not
building skyscrapers that justtake away from character.
Green space preservation One ofthe things I'm excited about

(17:29):
right now.
We actually had a workshop lastnight where we talked about
revising the UDO that covers ourlandscape, our greenscape, and
was a unified consensus of weneed to protect as much as we
can, a by law and B that makessense.
I've been a part of buildingbase camps overseas, repairing
bridges and cities in Iraq andAfghanistan and Syria.
I know what it looks like whenyou don't pay attention to your
environment.
I know what it looks like whenyou just think it's oh, it's
great, Just tear down all thetrees, it's fine.
No, no, it's not fine.
You have to protect theenvironment.
So, with that said, as werevise that UDO chapter, my

(17:51):
intent is to make sure that's avery well-written chapter and it
passes muster to protect ourenvironment as much as possible.
We may not be able to stopdevelopment, but we can make
sure that we build in the greenspace tree canopies, the things
we need and we can hold on to tokeep the Tree City USA
designation, but also for futuregenerations.
That's the reality.
It's about the future to me.
What are we going to leave in2040, 2050?

(18:11):
What do we want to leavethrough all this growth?
Walkable areas We've alreadyopened more greenways in the
last four years than they openedthe previous four years.
We've got to keep that up.
It does help transportation, itprovides walkability too, and I
just want to see that continueas well.
But for the third, leading intotransportation and
infrastructure will be the thirdpriority, to make sure it's I
guess the old way of saying itwould be called done well you
know it's not very technical or,you know, doesn't really refer

(18:33):
to the two master's degrees.
I hold to say it that way.
However, it has a point.
You know we have it done welland the $236 million that the
state has now allocated usthrough the TIP process that the
legislature approved, you know,to modernize 55, six lane, you
know, only through Holly Springs, not Fuquay, not Apex, only
through Holly Springs.
There's a lot of reasons theycouldn't do that that are
structural, but they're going togo in six lane and then we pass

(18:55):
through by where the target isright, and also by Walmart and
Main Street in that area, right,so the stoplights will come out
, there'll be pass-throughs sixlanes across, but there'll be
little exit ramps, not like biginterstate size, but little exit
ramps.
You go off and you can keeptraffic flowing freely is the
design.
So that'll actually greatlyimprove.

So does that take away the no left turn,
U-turn type deals?

It'll take away most of them.
There's one left in the design,but we're still just now in the
design process.
In the concept there was oneleft.
However, comma, let's see whatthe final design looks like and
that's the one we've got to makesure makes sense to leave it
there or not leave it there,because you know, we've been
living here a long time.
We were here when there werejust lights and you turned left

(19:37):
and it was fine.
So then of course NCDT owns 55,so they put in the U-turns
everywhere and we all have ouropinions about those.
I'm sure ours would agree.
But it's going to modernizesignals, intersections, even for
your road, phase two,phenomenal under transportation
infrastructure, four lane,median, divided.
And one thing I'm excited aboutsince I've lived here, my kids

(19:58):
have walked to school, toHollygrove, elementary, middle
and high school.
Of course now they drive tohigh school, whatever.
But as I look at that, thecrosswalk at Cass Holt, avent
Ferry and where the Cape SideRoad comes out, part of all this
infrastructure changes and apart of the woods development

(20:18):
going in down there, 55 and up,realigns that intersection to a
true four-way and it puts in astate-of-the-art crosswalk.
And I'm going to for thecrosswalk itself.
It's going to be all four sides, not just one side like it is
now.
However, I met with homeownersfrom Holly Glen that didn't like
the property because it wasn'timproving the crosswalk.
So we met, we drew it out.
I contacted the CrosswalkSafety Institute and had them

(20:43):
revise it to a plan.
I sent that plan right to thedeveloper and said this is the
one I'd like to see.
And the developer sent back tothe town and they're drawing
saying we can build this.
And everybody was like oh,that's great.
I'm like it'll be the safestcrosswalk in the state of North
Carolina, outside one inCharlotte near South Point,
which is already built that way.
I found out later.
I found out later.
So I'm excited about that.

(21:04):
But, more importantly, we needto do more.
So there's a lot of good thingsthat are finally moving, but
government doesn't move at thespeed of a business or
corporation.
If I want to put mulch down, Igo to Lowe's, I come back and
put mulch down.
The town wants to put mulchdown, takes a week to get a
purchase order.
Got to make sure the price isnegotiated, which we all want.
But it does take time.
And then they go pick up whatthey need to do, the landscaping
.
Now personify that a thousandpercent and say construction of

(21:26):
Holly Springs Road.
You know pipes, wires,overhangs, moving of utilities
by Duke and the gas company, andyou know it just takes time to
build.
So all this money coming in isgreat.
Take about 18 months of designwork.
In late 26, at the earliestprobably spring 27, we'll start
to see construction.
But it's finally moving.
And this was not being worked onprior to 22.
I credit the Legislative ActionCommittee.

(21:47):
I credit the getting an expertpart-time lobbyist in that knew
where to go and who to talk toand how to streamline it for us
Because we were like the smalltown who never could, and all of
a sudden we're now the big townthat could and most residents
still probably aren't awarewe're the 24th largest town in
the state now, with 54,000residents.

Wow, it's grown so much.

It's huge.
So how do we stay ahead of itversus go backwards?
And that's where you got tolook at that.
Anyway, I think I over-answeredyour question, but those are
the kind of the top threepriorities to make sure they
integrate well.
Okay, and in the backgroundeverything else still has to
work.

That it does .
You've answered this a littlebit, but what is working well in
the town today and where do yousee room for improvement?

You know honestly, I think social media would tell
you economic development isworking well and it is.
Our team in economicdevelopment is phenomenal.
They're well plugged in andthey're doing a great job.
We need to improve smallbusiness.
We need to improve theirability to come in and get
assistance and help, because alot of them can't afford to buy
and afford high-powered land useattorneys to come into the town
to figure stuff out.
They can't afford to spend tonsof money on commercial real

(22:48):
estate agents who help them do X, y and Z.
So what I'd like to see in thisnext term is revamping the
small business side of the house, creating an advocate we
already have an advocate ineconomic development but,
retooling that same position tobe their on-the-ground advocate.
Let's say, michelle atBombshell I'm sure you know
Michelle Michelle comes in andshe's like, hey, I want to
expand Bombshell.
Well, she can go meet with thatone individual, that one, what

(23:11):
I call belly button, and thenthat individual can walk them
through the steps they need withplanning and zoning, with parks
and rec and all the otherentities you have to check off
with with any new expansion orconstruction.
So it's not so horrible Rightnow.
I'm sure, michelle and Mommysharing the story with you
because we talked about itrecently in the small business
meeting we had at Mama Mia'slast week the reality is that

(23:31):
she was doing it herself andthere was 16 people from the
town on the team's call withjust her and it's just
overwhelming.
So in that one small, small,small example, we need an
advocate who's already on staffbut just repurposed to be the
belly button for smallbusinesses, because we need
small businesses to grow andfoster in this town.
We have a lot of people movinghere and we need more small
businesses.
I mean, the one thing that Ithought would be taboo to ever

(23:52):
say in my entire life is we needmore gas stations.
We need one or two between 12Oaks and Carolina Springs.
I want them to have chargingstations for the future, right,
but we need those.
So, and we're working on that.
We have one property recentlyapproved that had a gas station
on it, over on Target.
But the reality is that we havesmall business needs.
We could say we need more drycleaners, we need more
restaurants, we need morecleaning services of all things.

(24:14):
Speaking with some localcleaning agents, they're maxed
out If they can fit somebody newin.
They're usually like a rosterthey can call of people to add,
which is great, but then there'sa lot of people that may need
that service.
We also need to focus on oursenior community.
It's growing Our 55 and up,realistically probably 60, 65
and up.
Microtransit is one of thereasons we're bringing that on
board in 26.
However, the reality is thatwe've improved and added

(24:36):
services with Parks and Rec, butwe need to continue to look at
that every year to see how wecan make that better and how we
can bring it closer to thepockets.
So, going well.
I probably glossed over thattoo much, but I think police and
fire are on a great track.
If you look at the police reportthey provided a few months ago
to the town and their policeupdate, you know we have several
areas that are actuallyreducing thanks to the license
plate reader program that wasbrought on board.

(24:56):
It's actually helping us stopsome activities before they
start.
I'll just put it that wayCommunity policing, building
trust with our residents thatthey're going to do the right
thing and when they do come outthey're phenomenal.
So a police officer right nowwhen they come to Holly Springs,
which we're about the top twoor three highest paid in the
area for our police officers,which is great because we want
to attract and maintain andretain good talent.
However, we also offer themclasses.

(25:17):
We expect all our policeofficers to have their EMT
license and fire department forthat matter.
But EMT license we all wantthem to get their.
It's called CRT, but it has todo with the psychological
standpoint of helping otherswhen they're in like a mental
health crisis.
We send them this training.
It costs money but it's in thebudget.
But we want to maintain thatlevel of.
They're all EMTs because theycan be the first one on the
scene.
They got their little blue EMTbag in the back of their vehicle

(25:39):
in the back of their out andstart first aid or life-saving
measures.
To a degree, the firedepartment has the same gear on
their vehicles as well, becausethere might be an EMT lag for
the ambulance, and those arethings I think are going very
well.
I don't know of anybody in townthat's really complained a
whole lot about police and fire.
They do well.
Parks and Rec's come a long way.
I'll credit the Parks and Recsenior leadership team with the

(25:59):
ideas of partnering with WakeCounty Public Schools to use the
tracks after hours, to use someof the indoor space after hours
, and when they're out forbreaks they partner with HOPE to
use some indoor and outdoorspace over there for certain
activities.
They have to juggle so manyactivities.
Tens of thousands of kids justcollectively as a whole go
through our Parks and Recprogram every year and that
takes a lot of coordination.

(26:19):
And even when Eagles LandingPark is built, it'll be the
first park built since 2011 bondand we're still going to be
behind the eight ball for a townof 54,000.
So that's got to be a priorityas we look in the next few years
without doing a bond.
How do we build that into thebudget, as some of the
incentives are coming out of theeconomic development to take
care of the residents alreadyhere and raising families here
anyway.
So I think there's a lot ofthings going well.
I give credit to a lot of thesenior town staff for the way

(26:41):
they've handled themselves.
I think of creative,out-of-the-box ways to provide
services.
The last thing I would say isthe 311 app have you downloaded
it yet.

I do have it , but I have not had to use it
yet

that's good.
So the 311 app is awesome.
I think most people know I walkfairly early in the morning.
It's usually dark out when Istart.
But I was walking near the CarlDean Greenway, headed to Bass
Lake, and there was a tree downafter a storm the night before I
pulled out my phone, pulled outthe 3-1-1 app, took a picture
of it.
Of course I already preloadedyour name and information
because you have an account andI just typed in TREEDOWN and it
was too big for me to move and Iwas just like TREEDOWN on the
Carl Dean Greenway and itautomatically geolocates it with

(27:18):
a longitude, latitude, grid,coordinate, perfect.
I, the utilities and maintenanceguys know.
Four hours later they sent anote saying it was gone.
I was walking over there thenext day.
It was gone.
But the 311 app has brought thetown together beyond our
expectations.
So when you file hey, there's apothole in my street and you
take a picture and you upload itand I really encourage everyone
to check the 311 app out youtake a picture, you locate, run
over one and report it, or aresident finally gets a hold of

(27:49):
the right person to do it.
They don't have to do that now.
311 interlocks the town, soit's had a great result and
that's a very low cost thing todo.
Anyway, I think I over-answeredyour question again, let's move
on.

I guess this this is the deep dive so you
can't over-answer.
Do you support the current townbudget?
Where would you advocatechanges, including any
adjustments to taxes or spendingpriorities, if needed, for
fiscal responsibility?

In general, the budget is on a good track.
That's my belief.
Now, if you say, where do weneed to tweak?
We don't need to increase thetown budget because that would
create increasing taxes, and Idon't think anybody in this town
wants to increase taxes.
In my conversations with theFood Cupboard and other
organizations in town, we have alot of our residents that are
really pinched, really pinched,and they're having to use the

(28:33):
services of the town and theservices the county provides to
all residents to just get monthto month by.
So I think raising taxes rightnow for any reason unless it had
something to do with police orfire and even then it's got to
be extremely important we needto really not increase any taxes
.
So, with that said, I think weneed to keep investing in the
intelligent traffic system.
Have you heard of the ITSsystem?
I have, but feel free to share,just in case some of the

(28:55):
listeners have not Super itstarted a few years ago and it's
bringing real-time signaltiming and smart technology to
all of our traffic lights androads.
For those not aware, 20 yearsago long before your podcast or
I was even anywhere thinking ofever being on council the
council at the time buried townfiber everywhere in town.
People don't realize this townon fiber and only a couple of
municipalities in North Carolinadid that or have done that.

(29:17):
And of course, we sublet someof our space to Google and Ting,
so we actually make money backthat way.
That helps the town budget,keep taxes low, because it
doesn't take away from thebandwidth the town needs.
That's just a shameless plug,for that was great planning 20
years ago.
It's benefited our town today.
So the intelligent trafficsystem is currently being
upgraded.
You may remember about two,three months ago a lot of lights
on Avent Ferry Road and PineyWell, bond and 55 were kind of

(29:40):
going crazy as they updated allthese new traffic signal boxes
that control it to tie them intothe fiber and it didn't go well
and it took them longer than itshould have to get it all
working well again.
So now it's working very wellabout the same as it was before,
a little bit better.
However, the ITS system will beonline.
March April is the estimate Forwhen it should be fully online.
They'll have an operator thatlooks over all of our cameras in

(30:02):
town and as traffic backs up,they'll keep certain signals
going left or certain signalsgoing right longer to encourage
you to move that direction toother roads that may be open.
As you know, we're limited onour pass-through roads, so the
ITS system will increase thatsignalization and help everybody
move on.
When it's fully up and runningaround March April, we'll see
more of a benefit withoutbuilding a single road to do

(30:24):
that.
There around March April, we'llsee more of a benefit without
building a single road to dothat.
There's several estimates onhow much it's going to impact.
I'm just going to wait and seewhat it does before I talk about
that.
I'd hate to say it today andthen next summer.
Well, tim said you know.
However, I've been impressedwith it so far because I'm
seeing all the updates, I'mseeing the demonstrations, I'm
seeing how it's supposed to work.
But by 2026, drivers should seemajor improvements in how the
signals are responding totraffic flow.
Reducing congestion is theintent, and improving safety by

(30:46):
that as well.
Right now, there's been way toomany accidents on 55.
Most are from out of the areawhen you look into the details
of it, and they just don't knowour roads, and so the ITS system
will help with that.
Expanding 55 off-topic willhelp that, and so I encourage
everyone to check it out.
The town has a good website forthe ITS system that they
maintain.
It tells you what it is and howit works.
Ultimately it will be.
The goal is for it to be AIoperated with a human oversight.

(31:09):
So initially it'll be a personyou know changing and doing
based on what they think shouldhappen, and then later, six
months a year, it'll be fullyautomated, with a human watching
it all to make sure it'sworking the way it's supposed to
.
So that's one thing that'llbenefit in 26 and later toward
27,.
That'll benefit our trafficsituation ideally.
So, with that said, I wouldn'tmess with that in the budget.
Circling back to your originalquestion, I would actually, in

(31:29):
this last budget cycle council,made it real clear we're not
adding positions.
You might get two for peoplebut, what positions can we
repurpose?
In other words, if you had aposition that just stays vacant,
nothing's happening, can't hirethat person, or they're just
not needed, so you haven't hiredthem right now that we can
repurpose and the town did thatbecause there's money already
allocated for that.
So the town did that in thislast budget cycle.
They only added two positionsthe Eagles Landing Park coming

(31:51):
online.
They needed some assistancethere.
But the reality is this budgetis good for police and fire,
it's good for Parks and Rec,it's good for the town and
that's critical.
We do need to tweak it againover the next year as
microtransit is coming online,which is funded in this budget.
We need to look at that how itworks.
We just had a great, greatbriefing on it yesterday as we
get the final details naileddown for it during the workshop.

(32:13):
It was great.
I'd recommend anybody watchingthat, because you can click
right to the section onmicrotransit and just watch the
video.
I love the way our website'sset up and as we, so we need to
watch that.
The reason why I say that is weneed to make sure those costs
don't jump up on us.
We need to make sure it's heldto a certain dollar amount and
we provide certain services Intime after we have some data

(32:33):
three months, six months, a year, whatever seems appropriate.
we need to look to see how canwe expand that while keeping the
cost low.
That'll be a question thatwe'll need to address a year
from now, whoever's on council,and there's areas we need to
tweak and go over.
But it comes down to the eaches.
It looks at each line item,which is painful.
It's very painful, you know.
Thank goodness I had my MBA attwo graduate level accounting
courses, so you know it'spainful to go to each line and
see how it works and see how itimplements.

(32:57):
And anything that somebody saysnew, what's the cost of that?
You know, if somebody said weneed to raise taxes to build
more roads, no, we got moreroads coming, but the state
money that we already pay taxeson.
Somebody says, hey, we needfree this.
Well, it's not free because thetown's paying for it.
What's that going to cost?
It doesn't make sense to raisetaxes on a town that's feeling
the heat from Wake County andother everything the grocery
stores to car insurance, tohomeowner's insurance.

(33:17):
I mean, we're being squeezedeverywhere.
So is it the right time?
I don't think so.
So anything new that pops upfor this next council.
Hopefully I'm there for it.
I'm sure I will be.
It needs to be well thought out.
It doesn't need to be apolitical agenda.
It needs to be what's best forthe entire town and that's what
I believe in my heart.
I spent 31 years in themilitary.
I owned a small business forseveral years and got to sell it
.
Good things, it's.
What's good for the whole is myNobody.

(33:38):
Spirited discussions withcouncil members absolutely.
But no one's ever told me howto vote, ever, and that will not
happen again the next fouryears.
So I don't believe in partisanpolitics at the town level.
What do we need to do for thatbudget?
What do we need to do for thevision, the strategy, the
policies, updating UDOs, and howdo we move the town forward
with priorities that are alreadyhere?

Oftentimes it feels like government waits
until a specific need iscritical before taking action.
Do you support being moreproactive and if so, how and in
what ways specifically?

Great, great statement.
That is true NCDOT.
As you know, they have aphilosophy of bring them in,
then we'll build it.
We've seen how that's worked.
We don't have to go down theroad.
However, we didn't take thatfor the answer in 22, 23, 24.
We said how do we becomeproactive, how do we ensure they
understand the situation on theground?
And it took a while, took a hotminute, took many different

(34:33):
levers to pull, many differentconversations, many different
right things to happen.
But they came out and did astudy in early 24.
At that time, 75% of thetraffic on 55 is from out of our
city Fuquay, angier, lillington, all that.
It's not Holly Springsresidents on 55 by and large 25
percent is sure.
With that said, once we got themout to do the study, they did
the study.
They're like, oh, biscuits, theway the growth of the area is

(34:56):
running.
Now we had them look at thewhole area because our UDO is
not the same UDO that's beenused by Fuquay, angier,
lillington, harnett County,parts of JoCo that come through
55, just south of us in Sanfordthat come up US 1 area into the
Holly Springs area.
Their UDOs are not that tight.
They're building and buildingand building and so, based on
their projected numbers, basedon our projected numbers, the
state's like oh, this is aproblem and we need to build

(35:16):
sooner than later.
So instead of being built in2040, the expansion of 55, they
moved it up to the next fewyears.
Right, design build, all thatwill be finished by 29, probably
fingers crossed, but instead ofbeing built in 2040.
And that's one example of how wegot ahead of it.
But we've also been proactiveeverywhere In the town.
We asked the town to lookwhat's the vision for Parks and
Rec?
As you know, we need more stuff.

(35:37):
We can go down that road or not, but we need more stuff.
And so this is what theyenvision.
And they actually have theParks and Rec Advisory Committee
working with their planner,because the Parks and Rec
Committee is appointed from allover the town looking and seeing
where do we need to put futureparks, especially in West Holly
Springs, west of 55.
The police department.
It's because of future planningand asking the right questions
about strategy.
Fire Station 3 has a littlecubbyhole for police to work in.

(35:58):
Now It'll be a law enforcementcenter.
They go in there, they plug inthe laptop, they get some work
done, meet people there, versusthem driving all the way to the
law enforcement center,especially as the town continues
to grow.
Fire Station 4 will have alittle substation inside of it.
More than likely is the plan.
So the police will have a placethere to work.
So, place there to work.
So we have one building we paidfor, but then yet.
But the police don't have toalways go back to the center.
They can start doing zone workwhich cuts down on gas, which

(36:19):
comes down to drive time, whichcuts down a lot of things.
But until those questions wereasked in 23, that was not a
thing.
It was build it and then, well,we'll just keep it.
It wasn't there, whether it'sparks and recs, police, fire
department, obviously is under aright cloud.
Path we path.
We've turned a lot of cornersin the last four years to look
at vision and strategy.
And how do we do this withoutkilling the taxpayer and how do

(36:40):
we do this systematically butyet keeping up good services?
We don't want to be like NCDOTand then say let's build it
later.
Water, as you probably remembermaybe not, I'm assuming In 21, I
ran on water In 21, I said wegot water issues.
We don't control development.
We don't control how we use ourwater.
This could be a serious problem.
You know there was asignificant drought here for
many years.
That finally cleared up lastdecade.

(37:01):
It's not to say it's not goingto come back again, right?
How do we prepare for thefuture and future growth?
And that's something I did takein and say in 22,.
I said I want to work water.
Just so happened.
Our water people agreed we doneed to look at water, you know.
And other council membersagreed with me yeah, once the
problem set was laid out, theycould see the problem set and
that's when the water policycame out.
The tri-river, joining withSanford and other municipalities

(37:23):
, came as an opportunity.
We took it, building a pipejoint pump station with Fuquay
over off Rex road that goes allthe way down to Cape Fear river.
That's where all that came inand it is expensive.
It is, However, on thedevelopment side of the house,
our fees for developer.
Let's just say to build asingle apartment building
complex for water.
We have a few million dollarsin fees for that complex to pay.
That goes back into the waterspecifically to help over time

(37:44):
try and keep those costs low.
We're very fortunate thelegislature in 24 put in 33
million to that project onbehalf of us in Fuquay, which
also is our cost as well, cameout of the legislature.
In the long term that'll helpkeep costs down for that project
.
But looking forward, the wateris the biggest thing,
Transportation is the biggestthing and that we've actually
looked forward on Police andfire absolutely, that's easy to
do.
You know my time in the military, we always had to plan ahead

(38:06):
and look ahead.
The higher up you got in thecommand structures, the more you
did care about the future anddid plan the future and did look
ahead.
There's training, humanresources, equipping what do
they need?
And that's the same thing I useat the town.
So I just ask questions, and byasking questions I'm not trying
to get a specific answer.
I just want to see what theyhave to say from their point of
view.
And next thing, you know yougot a good plan in front of you.
After several months can gettogether and work it Excellent.

What new initiatives or attractions would
you champion to boost revenueand community pride?

Oh man, we got a lot.
We can talk for two, threehours on that.
I'm just excited that we are awelcoming community.
My neighborhood's fairlymulticultural.
My kids, since they were five,they skin their knee on a
sidewalk.
One of the moms or dads are outthere in a heartbeat, doesn't
matter who it is.
They're out there saying areyou okay, you're all right?
Can I clean that off for you?
Can I walk you home?
Expand that around town.
I hear stories like that aroundour town all the time, all the
time, doesn't matter who theneighbors are.

(38:54):
How do you do that?
You can't recreate that, as youmay not know.
So I'm the weird oddball ontown council.
I say that because I grew up inaffordable housing it was
called subsidized housing backin gonna age myself at the late
80s.
So I grew up there and when Iwas 17, I knew I needed to join
the military to try and have adifferent way.
Have a different way.
My parents stayed there for likea year or so.

(39:14):
They got on their feet and theyhad some bad situations come up
and they worked through it andthey eventually got back on
their feet and moved on andthat's the nature of what that
should be, in my opinion.
I was very fortunate thathappened to me, so I did not
grow up in neighborhoods like wehave here in Holly Springs but
because I didn't, I reallyappreciate them.
I think they're awesome andamazing and whether it's Sunset
Morgan Park, braxton Village,autumn Park, pick a neighborhood

(39:36):
.
I've heard stories like thatfrom all the people and I'll get
back to answering your question.
On the town side, we didapprove the Festival Street to
be developed this next budgetcycle.
I think about $500,000 or$600,000.
I think.
Going into it, redo the street,make it accessible.
Potentially we're going to usethe old police annex which is
now condemned.
Potentially take it down, putin like a mini amphitheater
there maybe that idea isfloating.
It's not a done deal yet.

(39:56):
However, to give us more spaceto do stuff, we have Suck Farm,
which is phenomenal, but it hasa limit on people, right, but
really make the downtown vibrant, exciting and welcoming.
At the same time, we need tocontinue to develop our sports
and recreation programs toinclude crickets, more programs
for multicultural diversity aswell.
Just in general, we also needto bring in more programs that

(40:16):
allow expressions.
And then, just like in the lastfour years, I was one of the
champions of Christy Bennett,while in her short time as
counsel for Interfaith Festivaland, of course, the
International Food Festival, Ifully supported Christy on.
So those are things we broughton four years ago that are still
flourishing and doing well.
So I welcome everyone to comeout, everyone to reserve their
downtown space, everyone toreserve park space and enjoy.

(40:37):
On the corner of Holly Springswe have a mosque that from time
to time have events around town.
And I'm glad you know, we have alot of different religions,
people, ethnicities, backgrounds.
Welcome to your thing, ourholiday parade.
You can see it the best youknow because almost everybody
comes out for that right.
Not everybody, but almost allthe groups come out for that and
you can see how diversified ourtown is and I embrace that.
You'll never see me argueagainst any group, except unless

(40:57):
a hate group.
That's a different issue.
Any group coming out to say,hey, we want to have a parade a
festival, whatever.
Okay, great, we want to reservethe shelter at Womble Park to do
an event.
Great, don't forget yourculture, don't forget your
history.
Be welcome in the town, be apart of the town.
But I'm good for that's a longanswer.
From Parks and Rec to communityservice, to neighbors, to
welcoming groups.
That's probably the shortestway I can even answer that

(41:19):
question.
But remember I saw that in themilitary too.
The military is real welcomingof all groups.
I saw that a lot.

Have you ever disagreed publicly with a
current town decision or policyand if so, what was it and how
would you handle a similarsituation while in office?

I'm sure I have.
I'm not known to.
I don't think my reputation oncouncil has been very divisive.
What's good for the entire townis what we should keep focus on
.
So I did disagree with AaronWolf on some of his policies
back in the day, but I did itvery politely and respectfully
about the whole of the town andthat's the way I focus that.
I think the non-discriminationordinance is one that I didn't
vote for.
We did do a non-discriminationresolution that I signed.
It says everybody's welcome inthis town and with that said,

(41:57):
the results of the.
Now that we have a couple ofyears after the
non-discrimination ordinance,the results of it, according to
the Wake County Attorney'sOffice, are pretty much abysmal
and the report's horrible.
I can go over the numbers withyou if you want.

There's a question later.
If you want to go into it, then.

Yeah, that's fine we and a good thing, because
it's actually worth talkingabout the actual how's it been
working the last two years,three years, and that's good to
talk about.
So when we look at all that, Ithink we're on the right track.

I do.

And if I disagree with somebody, I do it politely,
constructively and based onwhat I believe to be factual
statements not emotion, passionor partisan politics?

Okay, when you hear smart growth, what does
that mean for our town inpractical terms?

Oh, we've hit that topic a lot.
You know Smart Growth theme.
What do we need to add?
We've talked abouttransportation, the ITS system.
We talked about microtransitalready.
We've talked about, well,proactive planning.
We kind of touched on a littlebit in a way Requiring
infrastructure improvements tobe in place before or concurrent
with major developmentapprovals, not behind major

(42:56):
approvals or major developmentsor major changes in the road
systems.
So proactive planning has tomaintain and sustain
Intersection school safety.
In the last four years I triedto really get a school crossing
guard program up and running,especially in the Holly Grove
and High Springs elementaryareas.
That was met with someresistance.
However, I'm not done with that.
I think we need to continuethat.
We need crossing guards and weneed improved safety crosswalks,

(43:17):
especially around all ourschools.
Now that our traffic volumes onthese roads are increasing, I
think we have to get after that.
Our intersections now are beingbuilt to a high standard and
they have been for the last fewyears.
You can see that.
Just drive around town, thenewer ones coming in.
Infrastructure and smart growthI think we touched on that.
So I don't want to go too fardown that rabbit hole again.

(43:37):
But we've got to continuelinking neighborhoods and parks
and services and downtown andcrosstown areas and ultimately
it's fiscal accountability.
We need to make sure we'respending our dollars wisely, not
be afraid to ask the hardquestions about what do we spend
our money on and how.
We also got to maximize grantswhich there are not that many
right now we're working it, butnot that many and then maximize
state and regional dollars thatwe can get, especially across

(43:59):
coordination with othermunicipalities and counties and
agencies to increase our chancesfor higher funding ratios with
that.
So when I think smart growth,it's balance, protecting
community character,transportation, housing balance
we talked about that alreadyEconomic development, fiscal
responsibility, communityengagement and sustainability
and future planning, as wementioned earlier, the UDOs,
rewriting them, protecting greenspace, tree canopies, while yet

(44:21):
maximizing benefits for thetown in each development.

Okay, how would you ensure new development
maintains our town's characterwhile remaining affordable for
residents?

Affordability is driven by market costs and I
have several residents that jokeall the time that they don't
know if they can move to HollySprings today and because the
cost has gotten high.
Some of that we have verylittle control over after it's
built.
To say that.
You know how do we protect thecommunity character?
Our design requirements for newsubdivisions have to be a
certain way.
We encourage certain materialsto be used.

(44:52):
Sometimes we require it,depending on what part of the
ordinance you're looking at.
We do green space preservation.
We want more mixed use whereit's feasible and smart.
Just can't put mixed useeverywhere.
We want more walkable areas,not just greenways but around
communities.
You know they have sidewalks,cover gutters or greenway that
maybe connects two sides of aneighborhood.
You know that example.

(45:12):
How do we balance that with ourinfrastructure to keep costs
low?
And ultimately, if I rememberthe statistics right, if we
continue our build out where weneed to and our neighbors are
building a lot faster than weare but as they're building more
mixed use, more other housing,single family housing, townhomes
, apartments, whatevereventually the cost will start

(45:33):
to come down sometime around2029 to 2032.
That's the estimate.
When I say come down, it mightbe like a 10% drop, but that's
the best forecast I've seen.
But that's relying on morehousing options to be available,
which only comes throughconstruction.
Right now it'd be infeasibleeconomically the tax base to try
and subsidize any housing and Igrew up in subsidized housing.
I know the benefits of it, butthey're not here yet.

(45:54):
They're not here.
They don't live here and I don'twant to raise taxes just to do
that.
That doesn't make sense in 2025or 2026, in my opinion, at all
Doesn't make sense to raisetaxes in the next eight years.
In my opinion, however, we haveto tie it all together and it
can be done in phases.
You can improve roads andinfrastructure as they're
building a development to makeit make sense at the end, or we
just continue our 20% approvalrankings where it makes sense

(46:17):
and continue our long-termanalysis on where we need to
have water sewer go, where DukeEnergy needs to build more
substations for the future, andwhich is actually something
we're working on.
Another UDO revision.
We're doing right now is lookingforward.
Where do we need to haveregional pump stations, sewer
stations, gravity fed stations,as well as?
where do we need?
more power, like the Northwestor Southwest gateways that are

(46:37):
underdeveloped because theydon't really have anything.
And how do we do that?
And all that takes years andtime.
One thing I do like about thecurrent mentality on council and
the senior staff is, in myopinion, is we don't want to
overbuild and not be able totake care of the infrastructure
and, honestly, we want to buildthe right stuff.
If you want to build in HollySprings, great, it's a great

(47:00):
place to build.
But, a you can pay our fees, soit helps offset our other costs
.
And then, b, we want you tobuild the right stuff.
We want, whether it's townhomes, mixed use it makes sense, and
the zoning is there, singlefamily or whatever.
So economic development, I think, is still going to continue in
the life science, bio-sciencearea, and that's great.
It's all in one part of thetown, it's where it's all going.
And the NCDOT is buildinganother exit off US 1

(47:22):
specifically for Friendship,which will alleviate off our
roads as well.
I didn't mention that earlierbecause it's not part of the
$236 million, but it is afunding that was guaranteed to
Amgen Fuji.
They built Because Amgen Fuji,they didn't want just the one
exit off US 1, the two-lane road.
They wanted a major exit builtfor them, which is great.
That actually helps us helpsthe town Perfect.

Our town is growing rapidly, putting
pressure on infrastructure likewater and roads, public safety,
parks and recreation and housingaffordability.
If you had to prioritize onlyone of these areas this year,
due to limited funding, whichwould you choose and how would
you communicate that decision toresidents?

Wow, great question .
I'll try to be as succinct aspossible.
In 2020, we were here, thecensus was like 42,000, some
change right.
Today, based on certificateoccupancies, we're over 54,000,
and the 2030 census is lookingto be at least 61,000 or more.
Before I forget, I'd like alllisteners to know some of the
newer developments you've seenwas approved in prior councils,
because it takes about five toseven years to build a

(48:13):
development, or a little bitlonger.
So some of the biggerdevelopments were approved 2020
and earlier.
So just as you're looking aroundtown, kind of keep that in the
back of your mind.
You know which one was actuallyapproved in the current council
and which was actually approvedprior to, Not your question.
I felt like the listeners needto hear it.

Still good information.

It is, and you're right.
Our community faces theopportunity and obligation to
drive growth in tandem withpositive community and
environmental outcomes.
You know, to drive that successwe need to embolden and
continue our unique townatmosphere.
We need to encourage it.
Everyone is welcome period,pure and simple, enhancing
residential and non-residentialdevelopment at the same time.
If the development's right forour town and it has benefits for

(48:51):
our town not just thedevelopment, but for our town
okay, and then fornon-residential development,
your economic development, yoursmall businesses, your I think
we have another company similarto Flytrex looking to come in.
It's not a done deal yet they'relooking to come this way.
I mean, you know, as we do thenon-residential development, it
has to make sense for the townand where it wants to be built.
You know, in 2022, we actuallyrevised a lot of our zoning in

(49:11):
the town.
We don't want to put anindustrial heavy zone next to
residential or a school right.
We want to do proper planningand zoning.
So and we did that very, verywell.
So right now, all your lifescience biosciences are out over
the Friendship Road area forthe most part, minus Amgen which
is on the tail end of that, butyeah, it goes near 12 Oaks.
But any more economicdevelopment that'll go over that
way.
Small business we need moresmall business centers built.

(49:31):
The town's not going to buildthem.
We need developers to actuallycome in and build those centers
that we need.
And then also, our policiesneed to be continually reviewed
and updated with consistentapplication.
So we need to continue toreview all the policies which
are the guiding principles forthe town staff to work toward a
unified vision.
To answer your question morespecifically, I think in this
next cycle we need to reallyhave a couple areas.
One we need to streamline smallbusiness access to encourage it

(49:53):
more, because we need it.
The second piece we need toreally continue parks and rec
development, because it's waybehind the eight ball.
They're doing amazing stuffwith what they got and they're
networking to do amazing things.
We need to go and figure thatout without raising taxes in 26,
27 budget year.
You know how do we do that.
Or is that a planning yearwhere you do design and land
acquisition and then worry aboutconstruction the following year
?
It all depends on several thingsOne, sales tax revenue,

(50:21):
commercial revenue, property taxrevenue.
But the sales tax revenue isinteresting.
We flatlined this year, thefirst year in like a decade we
kind of made the same money insales tax revenue we made the
previous year.
That's because our businesses,our targets, our lows, our
restaurants, they're still doinggood but they didn't really
have a stellar year because alot of people are tightening the
belt, is the opinion from ourforecasting people, and so when
we see more of that in 25, thataffects the 26-27 budget cycle,
right, so we have to see howthat goes.
Anyway, to over-answer yourquestion, parks and rec to me

(50:43):
and small businesses have to beon the docket for getting after
in 26-27.
Everything else still has torun.
We still have to do forwardplanning, strategy and strategic
area development and all theother areas, but those are two
areas I'd like to specificallysee we focus on.

Okay, how would you communicate that
decision to residents?

Great.
I mean an easy one for smallbusinesses.
It's not a small business, butI think one of the common issues
I hear is we need a TraderJoe's.
It's not a small company, it isstill I think it is still a
family owned.
However, you hear, trader Joe's, trader Joe's, trader Joe's.
We'll be the pinnacle of livingwith Trader Joe's not the peak
of good living, the pinnacle.
How do we do that?
We don't have the space.
We got a mellow mushroom,that's great.
We have an alpaca being builtright now, which is awesome.

(51:20):
I mean we're getting some realdiversity in our options.

My girls are very excited for the sweet frog
coming in.

Yes, yes, and absolutely they should be.
My little teenagers went to thesweet frog.
I think it was either Apex, Ithink it has one or at Cary.
They went there like Sunday,for you know anyway.
So I digress, but you know howdo we continue to bring in that
small business?
Well, we want the Trader Joe'sof the world.
We need more salons,barbershops, we need gas
stations.
We don't need the smallbusiness world anymore, but we

(51:47):
need more services for peopleand the only way to get that is
to streamline it, encourage itand actually ask developers to
look at developing commercialspace for those, like behind the
Lowe's Home Improvement Storeover here.
That's actually zonedcommercial.
You could technically drop aCostco in and be buy-right
zoning, which blows my mind.
It's big enough.
It blows my mind, but I'd loveto see a developer coming in
there and put a lot of shops toadd, because our residents need

(52:10):
that.
We have a huge demand in thistown for more.
We need that.
So, with that said, I thinksmall business is easy to sell.
The parks are wrecked.
Majority of our residents stillhave children at home, you know
, based on the numbers from 2020.
I'm sure it hasn't changedbecause our schools are.
We're building more schools andthey're pretty well in capacity
.
So obviously it's still a bigdeal.
I know we're in 2030, sincethis will give us facts.

(52:31):
It's obviously actuallytomorrow's Rex Road Elementary's
grand opening, by the way.
So we still need parks and rec,but also we need adult stuff,
co-ed softball, volleyball,adult stuff to do too.
We need more of that.
We have some, we need more.
So it's easy to say we needthings to do to keep us active,
we need things for our kids todo and we need things for our
seniors to do.
So I think that's an easy oneto discuss.
But we don't raise taxes, we'rejust patient.

(52:52):
We can all the economicincentives as they wear off the
next few years.
That was built in place byprior councils to be where we
are today.
They started that in 2007,.
Eight and nine.
I mean Securus is the firstlife science, bio science, to
open the door.
You know it was the first oneand it took like 15 years later
before the next one came.
But now they're starting tocome in quite regularly.
So that was put in place a longtime ago to put Holly Springs

(53:13):
on the map.
They're almost recession-proofindustries because they're
10-year cycle fundings andactually CSL Securus' recent
split actually benefits HollySprings because the Securus here
is actually the only lifescience bioscience company in
the nation that is considered.
We call that an emergencymanagement location for flu and
influenza and they're alsocell-based technology.
They're an RNA technology, sothey make 90% of the flu vaccine

(53:35):
around the world right here inLA Springs when I'm going with
that is that's just a staplethat's going to continue to grow
and be beneficial to the townwith its employees and its
impact on the community, and ofcourse their taxes help as well.
So, long story short, I think Iover-answered your question
again.
However, I want to make surelisteners have something to
think about Now.
There's not one simple answerto fix a problem.
You have to look at things froma 360 perspective kind of get

(53:55):
it all together and even thenyou might miss one degree
somewhere.
So it's not easy.
It's actually more complicatedthan I think most people I
certainly was my first I've beendoing government construction
for a long time and then as aCorps of Engineer officer.
Some of the requirements wehave here I would never have
guessed, because they don't havethem in the federal government
side.
Anyway.

Do you feel we already adequately meet the
needs of any of these theinfrastructure, public safety,
parks and recreation and housingaffordability?

No, we sure don't.
There's more work to do, Amanda.
We have more work to do, but wecan't solve this with a flick
of a switch.
Or let's increase taxes 100% topay for it.
It just doesn't operate thatway.
I wish there was a magic button.
If somebody had won the lotteryfor that $1.7 billion and gave
it to the town, we stillprobably wouldn't be okay for a
while.
Assuming somebody would give itto the town.
As I look at that, we have morework to do and we have to get

(54:43):
after it piece by piece and witha strategy, and we
incrementally do some every yearand next.
thing you know we have a greatproduct.
Eagles Landing Park the lastthing I saw should finish in 27.
We somehow can get it budgetedbetween incentives coming in and
some construction costs havestarted to lower because the
construction industry itself isslowing.
If we can still realize gainsin that area, maybe that can
pull Baltus faster to the nextpart.
But that takes A being crafty.

(55:04):
Some of this is an art, not ascience.
You can take a politicalscience class at UNC School of
Government and they can lay itout for you, but at the end when
you take that class it says,well, it's an art, not a science
.
Good luck, because I've takenseveral classes there during my
tenure on council to make sure Iunderstood problem sets.
And for those interested, theydo a great UNC School of
Government class on affordablehousing planning and zoning and
cultural awareness.
So they have great classesthere.

(55:24):
Highly recommend people to takethem Excellent.

As the population grows.
What strategies would youprioritize to address roads,
utilities and otherinfrastructure challenges?

There's an underlying theme to most of your
questions roads, utilities andother infrastructure challenges.
There's an underlying theme tomost of your questions.
So, and I don't want to berepetitive, that's just horrible
.
For the listener Roads, wecontinue to work with NCDOT
because we don't own them.
We own subdivision roads and wehave some agreements for a
couple of the roads, likedowntown Main Street, between
High Springs Road and 55.
We have an agreement with thestate.
We'll manage, but outside ofthat, everything has to go

(55:55):
through NCDOT and the statelegislature to improve roads.
We will continue that, I haveno doubt.
If we're elected, we willcontinue to focus on using all
our assets from legislative,active committee lobbying,
identifying issues, explainingit in science and engineering
terms that can be understood,doing the right things to keep
pushing forward for moreinfrastructure.
One new thing since this isrepetitive, it's giving me time

(56:16):
to think I appreciate it.
One new thing, though, is wejust signed an MOU this spring
for State Route 751, also knownas New Hill Road, the road that
runs by Harris Lake that goes toUS 1 on the backside.
I'm sure you're familiar withit.
We just signed a memorandum ofagreement for the bridge
embankments because they'reowned by the town because
they're owned by the town,happened 50 years ago.
Don't know how or why thathappened, but we somehow own

(56:36):
those.
But we signed an MOU with thestate that they can go ahead and
develop that and so that's indesign now for all the bridges
on 751 by Harris Lake and whenthey finish that design their
intent is to build those all thefour lane bridges with the
median divided, and once thebridges are built they're going
to build out the rest of theroad.
So they like to improve thebridges in the road, not the
road than the bridges.
It makes sense when you thinkabout traffic flow.

(56:56):
That's also in the works.
We want to continue pushingthat, obviously because that
provides a back channel to US 1.
We've also got someconnectivity roads I'd like to
see develop.
I don't think some homeownerswould like this but, as you've
probably seen, riding around theneighborhood, you see a little
sign that says future roadextension or a future road,
something like that.
In the neighborhood right, itlooks like a road just stops.
So that's because they aredesigned to eventually connect

(57:19):
over to somewhere else, anothersubdivision or another main road
.
There's a couple in Avon Ferrythat actually are designed that
way, but they're in neighborhoodand so we could actually
connect Avent Ferry Road toGreen Oaks Parkway and we have
the zoning and the land and allthat.
Well, I don't know the land.
Duke Energy has the Well, wedon't own the land.
Duke Energy has a land which wework with them.
But if we connect those thenthat actually provides some
thoroughfare not on 55 and noton 751.
On the sunset side of the house, we need to really press

(57:41):
forward with moving that to afour lane which is on NCDOT's
radar.
But we need to press them.
When they looked at it in 24,it wasn't as needy as 55.
So we need to continue thatpress for sunset and go from
there.
With infrastructure, we're goingto continue, obviously,
construction of water sewer.
We're upgrading our wastewatersewer system from 6 to 8 MGD
right now.
The construction should startvery soon and then after that

(58:06):
the Council of 2028 needs tolook at the recommended upgrade
from 8 to 14 MGD, which will beour full capacity, based on
planning and zoning of a 20-yearplan.
But it takes years to buildthose things.
It'll take two years to buildsix to eight, but then to go
from eight to 14, it'll takefive to seven years.
Okay, but there again we'realso still ahead of the curve if
we do it early, we do it smartand we budget appropriately and
we use engineering techniquesthat we can save money with,

(58:28):
versus what was happening for awhile before.
I was on council.
Some things could have beendone better, like the 2017 road
bond.
I wasn't on council, but thatwas not really done the right
way.
I'll just leave it at that.
We got a lot of things comingup in infrastructure, water,
roads.
Duke Energy is great to workwith.
When you identify future areas,they're actually quick to build
out to it and throw up asubstation, to buy the land and

(58:49):
put it out there, and that'sgreat.
We don't control Duke Energy,but I want to continue lobbying
with Duke Energy for prices forresidents.
We're all being squeezed todeath.
Duke Energy prices are nodifferent.
We need to ramp up our lobbyingwith Duke Energy to really look
at you know, sitting next to anuclear reactor, do we need to
have the same prices of somebodythat's using a coal reactor
across the state?
a coal factory across the state.
Do we really should we ban that?
Again, we don't control it.

(59:09):
I just think we need to startlobbying heavier.
We have been lobbying with themfor that stuff, but we need to
do that heavier.
We need to put more resourcesand time into it, in my opinion,
to help bring costs down forresidents.

Okay, Holly Springs has focused on bringing
in the biomedical andscience-based businesses.
How would you balancesupporting these businesses and
garnering more of the like withsome public sentiment that may
be skeptical of science orvaccines?
Wow, that's a multi-partquestion.
That's taken me a minute.
I think it's a two-partquestion.

(59:39):
Sure, let's go to the firstpart.
How do we cultivate it?
We've already got great economicdevelopment that's tied into
all the POC points of contactsand all the industry standards
and industry needs.
And I think we've got tocontinue that development
because even now in Genentech'sgroundbreaking they had, you
know, two weeks ago, you knowthey had the US ambassador to
the US from Switzerland there,several high-end life science,
bioscience types there, and allof them start to say Holly

(01:00:01):
Springs is its own hub.
They think Durham is their ownthing.
They think Holly Springs is notDurham, it's its own life
science biohub.
Now, which is actually kind ofcool it is.
I was kind of like, yeah, allright, which is great, and I
think that's a way to say weneed to continue that
development.
But we don't incentivize themto come here.
They pay to come here.
Now, what we have that theyneed is not just water sewer, we

(01:00:21):
have a nuclear reactor fortheir energy supplies and we
also have access to a workforcethanks to all the universities
in the area.
And of course, as you know youprobably do know, knowing you
you're pretty tied.
In Wake Tech is actuallybuilding a campus right there
just on the other side of 540,at 55 at Dell Technology Drive,
for life science, bioscience, tobe really engaged with and
providing, helping provide aworkforce.
And I don't know if you've heard, but Pine Springs Preparatory

(01:00:43):
Academy's high school they'rebuilding they purposely
positioned it on Green OaksParkway now to build a high
school for the junior seniors toactually intern at the life
science bioscience offering afocus when they graduate, with
the certifications to actuallystart working there when they
graduate high school.
And there's more.
I think it was Fuji's paid forthe revamping of Hollis Springs
High School biotech lab.
They didn't really have one butthey built one and they fund

(01:01:04):
the teacher position so studentscan take that class at Hollis
Springs High School.
Now I understand that they'vebeen asked to do that at a
couple of the high schools inthe area.
I'm not sure the status of those, but having two kids in Holly
Springs High School I'm prettytied into that school.
So I know that happened andit's moving in the right
direction and those are greatthings.
So I think economicdevelopment's well its way there
.
We do need to be open todifferent things, though that

(01:01:24):
may be in the technology world.
Not a data center.
Not a data center.
Not a fan of the water usage onthat, not a fan of it all.
No, it's a non-starter in mybook and Tim's opinion.
It at all.
No, it's a non-starter in mybook, in Tim's opinion, in my
one-person opinion, non-starterin my book.
They have their needs and theyhave a place in the world, I'm
sure, but not in my book forHolly Springs.
A little side note there.
Obviously you know where thatcomes from, but when you start

(01:01:44):
looking at the building of thelife science, the impact on the
culture and the community, themore they integrate into our
community, the more they're intime They'll sponsor more with
Parks and Rec.
They already sponsor things incommunities such as the high
school.
They are recruiting a workforce.
We're developing a workforcearound them which will impact
culture and thoughts about thosewho may believe in a vaccine
and those who may don't.
All of them are cellular-based,not RNA-based, so that's a whole

(01:02:07):
different ball of wax.
If you look at the poliovaccine almost 100 years ago now
, roughly versus RNA developedrecently, I'm not going to get
into that one, but thecellular-based ones, like your
flu shots, they're stillcellular-based vaccine.
Their efficacy is super, duperhigh and if it's a person's
right to say they don't want thevaccine, that's sure.
It's like school choice you do,you Go ahead.
However, we have to keep anopen mind that how many lives

(01:02:27):
have been saved bycellular-based vaccines is the
way I would present thatdiscussion to anybody.
Me personally, I've been aroundthe world.
I've touched every continent.
I've lived in or been to 42countries on behalf of our army
and our government buildingschools in Dominican Republic to
building women's schools inAfghanistan.
I've seen the world at largeVaccines save lives.
Myself I have like a three-pagesheet from the military Good
topic.

(01:02:48):
It's probably on my sheet.
I've had it all.
To your question, for those whodon't believe in it, I
understand their point of viewand I respect their point of
view and their right to decidethe tax base, the income, the
impact on the community, theworkforce, the jobs offered, the
things like that.
That's individuals choose to dothat.
That is all them.
If they disagree with it, thatis your right.
I respect it A hundred percent.
I respect everybody's right totheir opinion and the right to
their body.

(01:03:09):
As our town grows, farmland faces pressure
from development and someresidents struggle to access
fresh food.
How would you support localfarmers, protect farmland and
help ensure everyone has accessto healthy, affordable food?

Tim Forrest (01:03:22):
You know, we only have one farmland in Holly
Springs that's still operationalthe ETJ.
It's owned by Gunny Mallon Jonesdown Evenfair Road.
We actually have an eggproducing operation that's mom
and pop owns as well downEvenfair Road and they need to
continue doing what they do andwe need to continue supporting
them doing what they do.
When we look at development,when we look at impact, we look
at what's coming in.
We need to be respectful oftheir rights and the impact on

(01:03:43):
their land.
Recent state supreme courtdecision I think it was rude
versus apex, I think it's whatit's called the supreme court
found that towns, for the goodof the town, can build in-ways
of land, but if a town'sbuilding in the right-of-way of
town for a developer, it nolonger can do that that has sent
shockwaves through thecommunity.
Why is that important, tim?
Why did you bring that up?
That's the question I would askmyself.
One one of the recentdevelopments the Reagan property

(01:04:04):
at the end of just stop there,nothing good will come out of
the rest of that.
I don't believe we had theright facts in 24 when we
approved that.
However, the quasi-judicialfirst time ever, because
quasi-judicials are a legalmatter Do you meet the

(01:04:24):
requirements for the landrezoning all those things?
It actually was Mr Jones, whocame out along with TJ Parker,
who operates the chicken eggoperation, who came out along
with TJ Parker, who operates thechicken egg operation, came out
and laid out specifically theimpact of their land.
And when Mr Jones says theywant to cut a 60-foot
right-of-way through the middleof my farm, which will make it
inoperable, that never came upprior.
That never came up at thelegislative hearing when asked

(01:04:44):
about impacts for the residentsnearby.
That never came up.
And you can't just go killingsomebody's livelihood.
It's one thing to say you'vegot to bury some lines by the
side of the road, right.
Mm-hmm.
But the way it has to bedesigned is it cuts through
somebody's middle of the landand destroys their opportunity
to make a living.
So that's why I was overturned.
I won a 5-0 vote, which is thefirst time I've ever seen it
that unanimous.
Mm-hmm.
That unanimous, long story Tojust say, yes, we, if we're

(01:05:08):
going to have development, it'snot an active farm site and they
want to sell the land.
One last story, and I'll leavethis topic alone Norris Crossing
, which is under construction byLenar down here off Avon Ferry
Road, was approved three yearsago or so.
The owner of that land there's13 people that own that land,
family members.
Only one lives here.
The rest live out of state forthe most part.
The remaining person that liveshere was the one responsible,

(01:05:29):
but they wanted to sell the landbecause nobody wants to live
here and the guy that does livehere, none of his kids want to
live here because they've gottenjobs everywhere else raising
families, other places and allthat.
So they want to sell the land,which is their right and it was
farmland.
I met with the owner great guy,older guy and he actually
showed me the deed it was inplastic sleeve where that land

(01:05:50):
ever since and he's going tostay on that land.
He's what I call a donut holebecause he wants to stay in the
ETJ.
So there's a little donut holein the middle of it where he's
going to stay.
But they wanted to sell theland because they want to move
on, which is their right to sell.
However, the impact actuallywas beneficial because there was
a firing range on that land,which there's other
neighborhoods around that youcan hear the gunshots and all
that stuff, and so that had toclose down.
At the same time, there isinterconnectivity with other

(01:06:13):
neighborhoods.
Remember the road signs wetalked about that says future
road extension.
Well, one neighborhood they hadto build that future road
extension into Norris Crossing.
Those neighbors weren't happy,so we reshuffled where the
community mailbox was going togo, so it lessens through
traffic in that area except forschool buses, police and fire.
That's why you do this forpublic services.
But that's one example of that.
Land is not being farmed.
It's not going to be farmed.

(01:06:33):
They just want to sell itoutright and they want to move
on.
Okay, Does it make sense forthe town to build our double
sidewalks road frontage?
They improved it's theequivalent of a four lane in
front of the neighborhood now,but only two lanes are open
because we're not finished fourlane in that area.
Obviously that's a differentexample of farmland that's no
longer in use.
That well okay, versus Mr Jones,who he's still operating his

(01:06:54):
farm, and that would kill hisbusiness.
So those are two prime examplesof when it makes sense, okay.
When it doesn't make sense, notokay.
Let's be smart about this, andI appreciate Mr Jones and TJ
Parker for their extremelydetailed impact analysis.
That made great sense.
So, yes, protect farmlands,especially if they're in

(01:07:14):
operation.

Amanda Benbow Lunn (01:07:15):
Our police sometimes receive requests from
outside agencies, while alsoaddressing local needs.
How would you set prioritiesfor public safety with limited
resources?
Number one.

Our police need to be posing cons to that.
Like some people may be awaresome people may not be aware we
actually have an SRT team likean old SWAT team.
As the analysis it's a SRIFreaction team.
It's made up of officers thatdo extra training to be prepared
in case they need to dosomething.
Part of their training we doloan them to the SBI for some of
their adventures or we do loanthem to Raleigh for high profile
dignitaries but we getreimbursed for their time.

(01:07:47):
They pay their salaries overtime, travel, all that stuff.
So there's no cost to the townat all.
We actually save a little money.
If you want to talk realdollars and cents, that's good
teamwork with your neighbor, theway the state's moved in the
last decade for driven byhurricane response, but they
have a unified system.
They can talk from HollySprings to Asheville and their
network right.
You just got to go to the rightfrequency and talk to them and
pop back to your frequency.

(01:08:07):
And so we help Fuquay with fireand police, we helped carry,
we've been into Raleigh, we'vebeen into Apex a lot, we've been
all over the place with ourpolice and fire assets to help
and they've been here becauseit's a team effort and based on
the laws of the state.
They can operate in our townsif invited, et cetera, et cetera
, et cetera.
So I believe those will go welland we get reimbursed from the
other municipalities for theirtime.

(01:08:28):
So we're not losing money.
So, budget-wise is not thediscussion to have when we look
at the way we handle communitypolicing.
Continue to have a coffee witha cop, a meal with a cop,
shopping with a cop or holidaypresents.
You know that all needs tocontinue, 100% needs to continue
, because those are buildingconfidence in the community and
they're getting to know thepolice officers.
One thing we need to continueis our SRO program in the
schools.

(01:08:48):
We fund those.
Wake County doesn't fund thoseand that's actually been very
beneficial.
High Springs High School alone,they have two and a rotating
SRO for their couple thousandstudents and they do great work.
But they do a lot of communitypolicing in there, building
trust, getting to know people,getting to know who they need to
keep an eye on and who theyneed to talk to and who this
stuff is.
And the school I grew up injust outside of Atlanta, georgia
, the high school I grew up inhad an SRO.

(01:09:09):
She was great.
She made you feel like she wasthere to help you if you needed
it.
She wasn't like the big bagpolice.
All those things we need tokeep.
So, with outside agencies at thestate level and below.
It works great.
Once in a blue moon they'reinvited by the FBI to do a
function or provide security fora dignitary that might be
visiting Fort Bragg.
You know the en route stuffjust driving up and down the
interstate or back roads orwhatever.

(01:09:29):
So I don't know of anythingbeyond that.
There are some recent changesto state law that require
assistance with HomelandSecurity and other agencies
underneath.
That.
Still not sure how it's goingto work out yet.
But, more importantly, I'm notsure if we will ever come up
with that radar screen here.
We don't have a lot of workerson farms.
We don't have a lot of, so I'mnot sure how that's going to
work yet.

(01:09:54):
And that's too soon question.
We got to let that play out andsee where it goes from there.

Al right, how can the town better support
small businesses?

and connect with their needs.
The short answer is we talkedabout a couple of times having
one single belly button in townto help them walk through the
processes.
They need help provide commonsense to their questions.
We had one small business acouple of years ago come into
town and say, hey, we want toopen up.
It's essentially a school forchildren with issues such as
autism or learning disabilitiesor whatever.
But they didn't say that.
When they walked in it cameacross as their opening a
daycare, which caused headachesfor that business for several

(01:10:21):
months until somebody not surewho realized they're not a
daycare.
They processed a different wayand they don't have to build all
this stuff or add all thisstuff to their property because
they're not a daycare.
That's a prime example of ifthere had been a small business
advocate, which we have, a smallbusiness developer, but needs
to be repurposed, in my opinion,to actually walk them through
the steps that would save themtime, energy, money and get them

(01:10:46):
moving faster.
We also need to relook at someof the ordinances and other
policies surrounding thedevelopment of small business to
make sure they're in favor ofsmall business as long as it's
smart, ethical, developmentaland it makes sense.
So I hate to say common senseapplies, but it should apply for
when somebody's trying to opena business.
For instance, in anotherbusiness they were just doing
expansion of a deck.
They were told you need to add20 feet of green buffer space.
With type C oblique.
They back up to a watershedthat already had 20 feet of

(01:11:08):
vegetation with trees andnaturally grown vegetation.
They're like I have to add 20more feet of it and that didn't
make sense.
But once it got to the rightlevel it resolved itself.
That still took like a monthwhere if you had an advocate, so
an advocate to move it in, helpthem grow small businesses.
We do have a small towndevelopment grant, small town
business development grant.
So if they're moving into anoffice building or location

(01:11:28):
downtown they can apply for thatgrant.
It's not a whole lot of money,but it's enough to try and
offset some of their maybeinternal design or countertops
or whatever it is.
It's not a lot of money rightnow.
We just approved it a fewmonths ago.
It's still in its infancy, notenough metrics to really talk
about the results of it yet, sowe just have to see how that
plays out.
However, we do need to make afocus on small businesses next
council, because we've got alllot of residents.

(01:11:50):
Great Residents need services.
Business need services.
We need to figure that outbetter.
So which is small to mediumbusinesses need to be worked on.

What approaches would you take to
foster understanding andcollaboration amongst residents
with differing perspectives?

Many things like now.
If somebody has an issue withsomething, I'd just say hey, you
want to meet for a cup ofcoffee?
Can I call you?
Let's talk through this.
A lot of times it's informationflow and once people find out
the town is mainly moving in awhole of town approach, their
problem may be resolved or maynot be resolved.
If it's not resolved, it'susually like some other things
we probably could help them withor work on with to get them to
the next level.

(01:12:25):
When it comes with disagreements, I know right now we live in a
crazy environment, state andfederal level of things.
I'm not going to hit thosebecause they have nothing to do
with the town.
However, a lot of people arefrustrated with government, as
in general, we are verytransparent.
I encourage anybody if youthink the town is doing
something wrong, come into thetown attorney, town manager, get
a full download, talk to people, see the numbers.
I was very impressed in 22 withthe transparency and it's only

(01:12:48):
improved since then.
I think it's funny.
In each election cycle you know, I really hope the listeners
hear this In each election cyclecandidates that haven't been on
council always say oh,transparency in government,
transparency in government.
And then all of a sudden theyget an office and they don't
bring it up again.
Food for thought why?
Because it's extremelytransparent.
Holly Springs town governmentlists everything on their
websites.
They answer all.
May take them a hot minutebased on volume, but they answer

(01:13:09):
all public inquiries.
They answer everything indetail and if you still have an
issue they will sit with you.
They'll put you with the smeein the room.
They don't hold back.
I mean, could we find some areasthat need more transparency?
I'm sure there's going to besomething somewhere we could
always improve on and we should,but in general, the 23 of the
people elected to council ran ontransparency issues and never
brought it up again.
Every now and then say can youclean up the website better to

(01:13:31):
make it look better?
That's all I've heard him say.
We're very blessed withtransparency in our town.
We need to continue that.
We don't need to hide it.
We need to hide anything ever.
Morals and characters of ourtown, and especially our town
staff, has to be good and solid.
In this crazy atmosphere andtime.
This is something we, the voter,can influence

Okay.
How will you ensure diversevoices and those most impacted
are not only included, but trulyembraced in decision making?

Absolutely so.
First I'll talk about ourboards planning board, board of
adjustments, parks and reccommittee, team recreational
advisory committee, track treeadvisory committee, tac, police
advisory committee, pac.
I could go on for a while.
We got some inaccuracies goingon here.
They do a great job of whenthey appoint people, whether
it's council appointment, thechief of police appointment,
whether it's parks, recappointment on the team,
recreational advisory committee,board of adjustments by council

(01:14:18):
, planning board by council,whatever it is.
When we get the packet from thetown, from applicants, we get a
map that shows where they livein town.
There's little dots everywhere.
It has a little legend.
See, Tim Forrest lives here alittle dot.
You can find me right here, soyou can get a cross section of
people.
And when I look for board ofadjustments I want to get a mix
of people.
but you don't really get thedemographics if that makes sense
because it's not on theapplication process, because

(01:14:39):
it's not an application foremployment, it's an application
to volunteer for town boards.
As I've learned, there'sdifferent requirements for that
according to state law.
So we go through and try andpick people and I'll look at the
education where they live,their statement of why they want
to do what they want to do, andso we appoint pretty much that
way.
The police department has thechief once or from all different
places across town and him andhis deputy pick everybody for
that one.

(01:15:00):
The teen one's picked by Parksand Rec.
Tree advisory can be picked byus too.
But we need people from allsections cross sections,
ethnicities, backgrounds to beon boards.
But we also get who applies.
So it could be one cycle, couldbe we get like 10 people
because somebody in, say, 12Oaks said hey, they blasted out
on the homeowners page, youshould apply for these boards,

(01:15:20):
and people apply for the boardsand we get 10 from one location
and like three from the rest ofthe town but we have like five
slots to fill.
Does that make sense?
We send it out.
The open period is three months, like from 1 October to
December 31st.
Like planning board and boardof adjustments.
It means three monthapplication period and we'll get
like 20 people but 10, maybeone neighborhood, which is not
helpful.
I'm glad the information isgetting out and being shared,

(01:15:43):
but how do we bring that home?
So, in addition, planning board,we do our ordinances for
development, our process, just aprocess, our flow chart.
The public hearing now isbefore council and planning
board.
You know where they can come in, sit with the developer, hear
all about it, make their publicstatements, public comments.
They can file the publiccomments with the town directly.
That goes to all councilmembers, the mayor.
They can attend the planningboard sessions and when council
sees a legislative section, theycan sign up for public speaking

(01:16:04):
during that legislative topicand also bring light discrepancy
to it.
But it's not just development.
We have the same thing forordinances.
So if a town law is beingpassed for X, y and Z, they can
talk with that.
When we change policies,there's a public comment period
for that.
They can incorporate in Inaddition to meeting.
Again, if somebody wants tomeet, I meet with them.
If a group wants to meet, I metwith a group one day that was
not exactly friendly when Iwalked in but by the time I left

(01:16:24):
, we were all good.
I'm your neighbor number one.
Do we incorporate it for thewhole of Holly Springs and make
it for the whole of the town,not just a group or two groups?
How do we do for the whole ofthe town?
And that's something that Idon't hear a lot of people talk
about right now, but I do.
I haven't lost it and I stillbelieve in the whole of the town
.

Okay.
Do you support anon-discrimination ordinance or
policy?
Why or why not?

Wow, that's a great question.
However, I'm the only one oncouncil that's actually signed a
resolution and made a publicstatement to say everyone is
welcome here, Disabled, veterans, veterans, people with
disabilities, all genders,whatever your thing is welcome,
religions welcome.
I'm the only one on council thathas signed that.
That is still on council todaybecause Dan Berry's not running
again.
He did sign it as well.
And so, when we look at this,wake County non-discrimination

(01:17:13):
ordinance was intended toaddress discrimination, public
accommodation and employment,but the results show it has
created more confusion thanclarity Since its adoption.
According to the Wake CountyAttorney's Office, who sent me
this data, since John Schifano,the town attorney who sent this
out, the county has received atotal of 112 complaints 83
related to public accommodations, 29 in employment and 14 were
forwarded to Campbell Universityto have mediation.

(01:17:35):
Yet the majority of them havebeen dismissed because they were
outside the county'sjurisdiction, because they
qualified for federal or stateprotections, which is more legal
and has more teeth.
They also did not qualify as aplace of public accommodation or
did not involve employment,even though it said they did.
In short, it's been a poor fitfor the issue that was being
raised.
What's more important for HollySprings is that not a single

(01:17:55):
complaint has originated fromour town None, none have gone to
Wake County from Holly Springs.
That demonstrates that ourcommunity already values
fairness.
We're welcoming, we respect,without relying on the heavy
regulatory overlay.
The ordinance itself, for thosethat adopted it, has created
bureaucracy without improvingoutcomes for anybody.
It's added another layerAnytime a small business or
medium-sized business has a case, they have to hire an attorney,
they have to pay that attorneyand then the majority of it gets

(01:18:16):
dismissed anyway.
And now that small business hasnow spent tens of thousands of
dollars potentially, which couldput them out of business, with
no result.
In addition, the people haveseen no result With that set of
the 14 that went to Campbell LawSchool.
You don't know what happened toit because it's hidden.
That's another thing I likeabout the ordinance it doesn't
tell you the outcome.
Was the mediation successful?
Was it in their favor, or wasit let's agree to disagree and
move on?
Or was it in the company'sfavor that was being presented?

(01:18:37):
We don't know the outcome.
Talk about transparency, but Iknew that back then.
I knew that, the way it wasformulated and written, we would
not know the outcome.
If we're't even know there wasa bad outcome, how do we learn
from it?
We don't.
You don't learn from thatordinance, so I get it.
I will quote my council member,aaron Wolf it's more of a
statement than it is a ordinanceand that was his quote.

(01:18:59):
End quote.
With that said, I happily signedin 2023, the town's
non-discrimination resolutionalong with our Mayor Mayefskie,
Dan Berry.
Actually, I think Daniellesigned that one too.
No, Kristi signed that one.
Danielle signed it.
No, I think Danielle signed it.
I might be wrong on that one.
That said, everyone's welcomehere.
And a resolution carries thesame moral weight and clarity
and clearly sets out our valuesas a community, and it avoids
burdening our residents with taxdollars, because it does cost

(01:19:22):
After two years, you have to payinto this program to be a part
of this ordinance, by the way,but it doesn't burden our
residents with additional taxes.
It doesn't burden our small andmedium-sized businesses with
having to hire an attorney andadditional regulations, and then
it goes from a complaint-drivenenforcement structure that's
been proven ineffective to wehave a lot of great laws and, to
be honest with you, all thesebusinesses moving here, all of
them have this built in theirpolicies anyway, whether it's

(01:19:43):
AMC, theaters or Amgen, theyhave these policies built in.
They don't put up with this,and I agree with it.
Everyone should be welcome.
So I think the resolution putsour focus where it belongs,
affirming dignity and respectfor everyone without creating
confusion, redundant processesor unnecessary bureaucracy,
which proves ineffective anddoesn't answer the question how
do we learn?
How do we love differently?
How do we make things happen?
It doesn't.
With that said, in HollySprings I believe in building a

(01:20:05):
culture that is welcoming to alland fairness to all.
The resolution we adoptedreflects that commitment.
We don't need a countyordinance that generates
complaints from outside ourjurisdiction that we share the
cost of, and so we need clearlocal leadership that sets
expectations, continue to buildtrust people of Holly Springs
and ensure every resident andvisitor knows that we're a
welcoming town.
That's kind of my position onthe non-discrimination ordinance
.
Okay.

Have you gained any endorsements thus far
and if you gain more, wheremight voters find that
information?

All endorsements will be on the website.
Social media is packed rightnow with a lot of stuff.
I don't think I'll put many onsocial media.
I think Sheriff DonnieHarrison's been my endorsement
for, you know, leadership andpublic service with utilities
and stuff like that, so it's areal good one.
That's on social media.
That's also on the website.
I'm sure there'll be some more.
Actually, most of the peoplejust now reached out to have
meetings to talk aboutendorsements and I'll meet with
anybody and I'll tell them how.

(01:20:52):
I truly believe the biggestcomplaint I hear from developers
are you charge a lot of fees.
Yes, yes, because we're agrowing town and I don't want to
burden the taxpayer with payingfor your development.
I'm a little bit nicer in how Isay it to them.
That was a little bit blunt andI apologize.
But, I'm a little nicer how myfees just to happily entertain
looking at the fees.
But I'm not going to reduce ourfees because we need those

(01:21:14):
funds for a growing, burgeoningtown that needs to succeed and
do well, without trying to crushthe taxpayer.
Whether it's that or otheragencies that want to see
different things here, just likewith you, amanda, I'll tell
them my positions and mystatements and if we agree,
great.
If we don't, great.
We'll move on.
So I think Sheriff DonnieHarrison's the only one on the
website, right?
now maybe Molly Sears hasendorsed me.
Dick, her husband, you mayremember he endorsed me for

(01:21:35):
election 21 and Molly'scontinuing that trend.
So I think that's about it.
Right now there's a bunch inthe works.
I'm not too worried aboutendorsements, I'm more worried
about you know, I've got fouryears of a history.
Unlike anybody else running forcouncil, you can actually see a
track record.
Has this track record been goodfor the town?
Have I done what I said I'mgoing to do?
Am I going to listen while Ivote and what I believe is for
the good of the town?
I believe that's why I waselected the first time.

(01:21:56):
If it hasn't been for the goodof the town, let me know.
Let me know why and let's havea discussion on it.
Unlike a state legislature or afederal legislative person or
higher, we don't have a personalstaff.
I'm a staff of one.
I get to talk to everybody.
When you call the phone number,that's on the website or the
Facebook page, or if you have aflyer or whatever, that's my
personal cell phone number and Ianswer it.
Crazy being, I don't answer itfor 10 o'clock at night because

(01:22:18):
I have protected time, but Iwill return a phone call and so
if something's not going right,let me know.
If you feel that a group's notbeing heard, I'll be happy to
meet with you.
But what is it?
You're not being heard?
A concern, and where should thetown be involved?
And those are the questions Iusually ask.
So we need to continue buildinga welcoming town for all,
focused on proper smart growthdevelopment and hopefully we get

(01:22:43):
there.

Excellent, when can listeners connect with
you and learn more about yourplatform
upcoming events, and ways to getinvolved?

This year, unlike the last time, I know a little
bit more than I did, right.
Hopefully people learn as theydo things for long enough right.
So I have a sub stack where I'vewritten a lot of policies and
policy proposals, from crossingguards to the way we can do
water better Made a lot ofstrides in water.
However, you can read a substack which is easy to find.
Just go to sub stack, type myname.
It should pop up right away.
You can go to my websitetimforrest4hscom.

(01:23:07):
No-transcript.
Something for them to read.

Okay, and just to clarify your website
timforrest4hs.
com.
That's the number four and notspelled out correct.

Yes, timforrest4hscom, you're correct
.

Perfect.
Do you have any final thoughtsyou'd like to share with those
voting in the upcoming election?

You know, for those voting in the upcoming election
, I think we have to look atseveral things.
One are we moving in a betterdirection than four years ago?
Are we focused on the rightthings?
And I think we are, and I hopethe town agrees with that.
So I would like to thank you,amanda, for the time today and
putting this podcast together.
I know it's a lot of work and alot of different personalities,
a lot of editing on your part.
I appreciate all that work.
And then, most importantly, tothe residents of Holly Springs,
who will take the time to listento this podcast in its entirety

(01:24:00):
.
I hope Thank you for doing that.
Forms like this.
It matters.
This podcast matters.
Every way you can understand acandidate matters.
It's not about soundbites orslogans.
With me, it's aboutaccountability and vision and
moving the town forward.
It's also not about politics.
With me, over the last fouryears, I think I've worked hard
to deliver results and improvedaily life for our community.
Together, we've secured $236million for infrastructure.

(01:24:21):
Water sewer capacity is growingand increasing and under
development.
Parks under development shouldbe up and running soon.
We've had more greenways openthan ever in the last four years
and we're building more.
We need more recreationalfacilities.
I know that we need more parksand rec.
I know that we need to stillcontinue to build out the town.
They're bringing peopletogether.
We've strengthened our economyby supporting both major
employers and small businessesthat give Holly Springs its

(01:24:42):
heart and truly.
This is about leadership.
It's not about just checkingoff projects or sound bites from
political parties.
It's about building trust,listening to residents and
making sure every decision isgrounded in the values that make
up this town, which I believemirror the same values I have in
working for the federalgovernment the army and the
principles of service and also,honestly, the scout law values.
They're very similar to thetown values in my opinion, and

(01:25:05):
so my guiding focus willcontinue to be what's good for
the town, the whole town,regardless of backgrounds of
anybody, service before self andsolutions over politics.
Looking ahead as we face thesechallenges.
Growth is coming.
We can't stop it.
We can shape it, and that'swhat we're doing now with our
20% growth in 2024.
But that means ensuringdevelopment is balanced and
thoughtful, protecting thecharacter of our neighborhoods,

(01:25:26):
investing in infrastructurebefore it's overwhelmed and
before it's fully needed, andmaintaining the sense of
community that makes HollySprings special.
I'm proud of the work we've done.
I'm even more excited aboutwhat lies ahead for our town if
we do it right, and I'd like toask for their support and
continue working to make HollySprings a place where families
can put down roots, seniors feelsupported, people of all
character, walk of life feelthey can be a part of the town.

(01:25:47):
Businesses, large and small,can thrive.
And, at the end of the day, therole of councilman is not about
me, it's about us.
It's about the building a townwhere we're proud to call home
today and for the nextgenerations that will be after
us.
So I'm asking for their trustfrom the viewer, I'm asking for
your partnership from the viewerand I'm asking for your vote
this November so that togetherwe can keep Holly Springs moving
forward in the right direction.

Perfect.
So before I let you go, we'regoing to go down a lightning
round of questions.
It's not anything to do withrunning for town council or
Holly Springs, really, but toget to know you a little bit
better and build some humanityinto this.
Sure, what's something you dothat helps you to recharge?

Very much not political.
I actually walk every morningaround 4.30 in the morning.
Old ministry guy do have somehabits of diehard, but I do walk
all around Holly Springs andall the greenways, sidewalks.
You see me out walking quite abit with my dog.
I got a little golden doodle.
She's awesome.
You'll see me out with her mosttimes.
That gives me time to look, see, think.
You know much like running didfor me for many years until I

(01:26:45):
couldn't run anymore.
You know and understand, whenyou walk around this town, not
just downtown but the townitself through the different
greenways, you get to seeeverybody you know and get to
see the different parts of it.
That's the part I love.
I'm in love with our town.
We have a great town and sothat's one thing I do.
To recharge and refit is inaddition to spending time with
family.
I have four boys total.
Two are already out of schooland they're great, they're

(01:27:12):
awesome.
But they're my beautiful bride.
We've been together.
I think December 13th it'll be20 years together, 18 years of
marriage, and I really enjoyspending time with her.
She makes me laugh.
She's very much her own person.
She's an attorney and partnerfor a firm.
She also teaches Campbell LawSchool.
She is an adjunct professor.
She sits on a veteransnonprofit board for national
board, very engaged in thecommunity with other areas too.

(01:27:35):
So she's in her own right, herown person.
But when we're together it'sabout us.
We have a great time togetherand just enjoy being with her as
well.
So those are all things I do torecharge family faith and
friendship and exercise.

What's a hobby, talent or fun fact about
you that most people don't know?

Fun fact I have seven grandchildren.

What's something that is difficult for
you.

Many people probably don't know when I
retired from the military.
I had to retire because Isuffered an injury in Syria
which broke my L5 and a half,moved L4 over.
So I truly went from awheelchair to a walker, to a
cane and, through experimentaltherapies, physical therapies
and, thank goodness for great,great people in the medical
field, I walk fine today.
You would never know it unlessyou know these facts.
So what I find difficult iswhen I'm trying to talk to

(01:28:18):
somebody, encourage somebody,and they have a hard time seeing
a way forward.
So it just makes me try to finddifferent ways to connect to
them, to try and help them withsome of their thoughts and the
way they're moving forward, notin a counselor role, but as a
friend or whatever it is.
You know, because when you'refaced with insurmountable odds,
in the way you see it at themoment, there's always a
different path, and looking forthat path is hard for everybody,

(01:28:38):
no matter how successful youare not successful, it's always
difficult, and so when you lookat it from that standpoint,
those are ways that I finddifficult.
I think it's a short way to sayit.

Okay, what book, podcast or TV show are you
enjoying right now?

Oh, books, we read a good bit Right now I'm not
reading a book.
Podcasts, there's several.
Remember my background, so it'sa little different than most.
But the Army War College, whereone of my master's degree is
from, it's kind of West Point'shigher education system, but I
have a master's degree instudies they put out a podcast
almost weekly that coversgeopolitical politics with some
emphasis on the military, and soI enjoy those from a strategy

(01:29:13):
standpoint, a political strategystandpoint, because they're
really nonpartisan, they'rereally well done and so I enjoy
those.
And then how that works.
So I listen to those quiteoften as well, as I've been
listening to the Middle Americapodcast lately.
I think we have a thing comingup I was unaware that in 23, he
did a podcast with a candidatethat's running in 23 as well.
And some of the discussionshave actually been actually
invigorating.
There's some slight overtones inthere of politics, but by and

(01:29:36):
large they're actually prettygood, so that's been good.
I've been listening to latelyout of necessity, and then TV
shows.
My wife and I usually choosecomedies to watch.
You know we enjoy that comicrelief.
Pick one.
There's several good ones outright now yeah.

Who's your favorite superhero?

Oh my gosh, that's something.
Uh, if I get the wrong answer,my 15 year old would be not
happy with me.
So if it's a non-marvelcharacter, I have to be very
careful when he hears this.
Yeah, I'd say old schoolsuperman, or actually the latest
superman I thought was reallywell done the joyous time.
And two teenage boys.
They like to see those, youknow, they just like to go to
movies.
Their dad, right, I'm sureyou'll be there soon with your
kids.
So we saw the new superSuperman a couple weeks ago, a

(01:30:12):
month ago, whatever it was itcame out and honestly it was
kind of like the old way ofmorals and characters and values
that we should all be aspiringto.
It's kind of the messageunderlying message which up
until recently, a lot of thesesuperhero movies were about the
dark side and battling theirenemy within type stuff which is
good stuff really be strivingto as a country and as a nation,
as a people, kind of what itgets after in its own way.

(01:30:33):
And I really enjoyed that and Iwas like you know what it's hard
and even in that movie theSuperman character plays a hard
character because he's like he'sconflicted.
You know he's conflicted withit but he knows what the right
answer is and how to get there.
He has a hard time seeing buthe gets there in the end right,
and he saves the day and allthat right superman movie.
So I'd say that's probably onerecently I've seen that I think
would be really really good.
It's really refreshing

okay, what's the best piece of advice you've
ever received?

so we're gonna go old school, okay, so, pardon the
expression, you have two earsfor listening and one for
speaking for a purpose.
Listen before you speak, andthat's the thing that's hard
what's one guilty pleasure yousecretly enjoy?
Oh, all right.
So I fall in love with freshice cream.
So so I try to keep it limited,because obviously, as we get
older we got to be a little morecareful about how much we

(01:31:17):
splurge.
But you know, whenever the boysare like dad, can we go to
fresh?
I'm like all right, I'll go withyou if you need me to

Twist my arm .

Yeah, and I mix it up too.

What's a simple thing that always makes
you laugh or smile?

It's the little things it really is.
It's, you know, where somebodysays something that was not.
They didn't mean to say it acertain way and it came out
wrong.
Then they try to backtrack.
I think that's funny whensomebody, somebody, looks at
somebody else when they saysomething like, huh, you know,
for some reason, I think it'sfunny.
Honestly, one of the thingsthat I fell in love with my wife

(01:31:49):
about was we first starteddating.
She's like, well, I do improv,you know, and she actually took
courses in that in the city wemet, and so I actually went to
see her one night and I still,to this day, just laugh about
this, the way that happened.

Coffee or tea.

Both Time of day.
Coffee in the morning like atea.
In the afternoon.
I get a good hot tea and it'sgood.
Thanks a latte.
It's my.
They do really good teas andcoffee.
I'm anxious to try the newlocation over near Oak View near
12 Oaks,

morning person or night owl?

Walking at 4.30.
Kind of self-answers, that one.
My wife's a night owl, I'm amorning person, so yep.

Makes it interesting.

It does.

Mountains or beach.

Yes, please.
I like the mountains a lot, butI also enjoy the beach
differently.
Like the mountains, I lovehiking.
Like the boys have been hikingthe Appalachians, the Rockies,
the, you know, parts of theMindless Sea Trail.
We've done a lot of backpackingthe last several years and
that's been just great andwonderful.
The views are phenomenal.
Good snow is beautiful up inthe mountains.
However, the beach, walking,the beach waves washing over

(01:32:47):
your feet while you're walking,sitting in the sand watching the
seagulls do the thing,Priceless

Books or podcast?

oh, I enjoy a good book if it's before bedtime but
a good podcast, especiallydriving.
You know you're driving, justgot to go a distance and listen
to a good podcast.
It gets you thinking.
I can visualize it better thana book sometimes, but I think
both are great.
But these days I've been doingmore podcasts and books.

Okay, dogs or cats?

We're a dog family.
We have a golden doodle.
She's a 75-pound lap dog.
Love her to death.
Wouldn't trade her for theworld.

Perfect.
Well, that brings thiscandidate conversation to a
close.
Thank you so much, Tim, fortaking the time to sit down with
me and go over and answer thesequestions, share your thoughts
and your platform, and I wishyou the best of luck with the

(01:33:40):
election.

Thank you, Amanda.
Thank you, I appreciate it.

Local elections are where democracy
lives closest to home.
The decisions and actions ofour mayors, the Holly Springs
Town Council and theFuquay-Varina Board of
Commissioners influence theservices we rely on each day,
the safety of our streets, thecharacter of our neighborhoods
and even the future direction ofour communities.
Democracy is at the heart ofall we hold dear.
Our local governments setpriorities that touch everyday
life.
They pass ordinances, fund ourfire and police departments, set

(01:34:04):
property tax structures andshape the look and feel of our
towns.
Because turnout is often lowerin municipal elections, every
ballot cast carries even greaterweight.
Here's what you need to knowfor 2025.
The voter registration deadlineis October 10th, unless you
register at an early voting site.
Early voting begins October16th at the Wake County Board of

(01:34:26):
Elections office in Raleigh.
Additional sites open onOctober 25th, including the John
M Brown Community Center inApex and the Avery Street
Recreation Center in Garner.
Those two will be the closestto us in Holly Springs and
Fuquay Varina.
Early voting concludes onSaturday, November 1st.
Please note that this year onlyincludes two Saturdays, October

(01:34:47):
25th and November 1st, and one,Sunday, October 26th.
The last day to request amail-in absentee ballot is
October 21st and election dayitself is Tuesday, November 4th,
where you'll need to cast yourvote at your assigned precinct.
Please remember you will need avalid ID to vote.
That wraps up another NC DeepDive candidate conversation.

(01:35:09):
You can find all of our 2025municipal election interviews at
www.
ncdeepdive.
com, as well as on Spotify,apple Podcasts, audible or
wherever you currently listen topodcasts.
Show notes will include linksto candidates, voter resources
and election information.
If you find these conversationshelpful, please subscribe,

(01:35:31):
share them with friends orfamily and consider leaving a
rating or review.
Spreading the word in yourlocal spaces helps strengthen
informed participation acrossour communities.
If you have thoughts or topicsyou'd like us to explore, reach
out on social media or email usanytime at ncdeepdive@ gmailcom.
I'm grateful you spent this timewith me today.

(01:35:53):
Staying informed is how weshape communities worth calling
home.
Your choices matter, yourperspective matters and you
matter.
Your ballot is your voice, andboth carry more power than you
might imagine.
Democracy isn't passive.
It only works when we each showup.
Thank you for helping me tomake it thrive.
May we continue to worktogether to build stronger, more

(01:36:14):
vibrant communities to live,work and play in Ones we can all
be proud to call home.
Until next time, my friendsnamaste, the love and light in
me sees and honors the love andlight in you.

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Tim Forrest: 2025 Holly Springs Town Council Candidate

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