Q&A WITH MAYOR JOHN HIGDON

with Mayor John Higdon

Q. What is your greatest achievement outside of work as Mayor of Matthews? A. My wife Penny and I are the parents of two grown children.

Our daughter Summer is a program specialist with the National

Institute of Food and Agriculture. She is married and lives in

Washington DC. Our son Jed is working towards his master’s degree in urban planning at NYU. Being a father to these two fantastic children has been the crowning achievement of my life.

They make me proud every day. Q. When locals see you on the street or out in the community without a formal event, what do they usually say to you?

Compliments or complaints? A. I would say 75% compliments, 25% “opportunities for improvement”. Matthews’ residents are overwhelmingly agreeable and discuss even complaints in a courteous way. Often they tell me how pleased they are with town staff, who regularly go above and beyond expectations to make sure our residents are treated well.

Q. Describe the Town of Matthews in 3 words?

A. Home Sweet Home.

Q. Sometimes public officials need to take a moment to

get away. Where do you like to go when you need to take a break from the daily grind?

A. From a young age my parents and grandparents instilled in me an appreciation of nature and in growing things. A break will frequently find me walking through the woods, working in my garden, filling some birdfeeders or tending to my bees (I am a beekeeper). This early appreciation of the natural world has led to a concerted effort as Mayor to preserve as much green space in

Matthews as possible.

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