YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1978 w w w. j a m e s t o w n n e w s . c o m
WeEKLY EDITION Sept 20-26, 2017
Vol 39 No 40 | 1 Section | 10 Pages
A Q&A with our Mayoral Candidates Compiled by Carol Brooks
The primary for mayor of Jamestown will be Oct. 10. The Jamestown News asked the three candidates their views on issues affecting Jamestown. Their replies are listed below in the order received. Some responses have been edited for space. Tell us about yourself: KEITH VOLZ: I am an energetic 73 and still working full time. Employed in private industry (since 1967) with experience in sales, marketing, product engineering, product management, international marketing, and manager of new product development. I have 33 patents in electronic interconnection designs. Joyce and I moved to Jamestown in 1983. We have two daughters, Kimberly and Amanda, who both graduated from Ragsdale High School and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Both our daughters are married and we are the proud grandparents of six grandchildren. I was elected to the Jamestown Town Council in 2001 and served three terms. I was elected to be the mayor pro tem in 2005. I successfully ran for mayor in 2007 and have served five terms as mayor. I am actively planning to serve my community for a sixth and final term as mayor.
KEITH VOLZ
LYNN MONTGOMERY
ROBERT FREDERICK
school teacher, and math textbook editor. I have been married for 20 years to Donna Scheidt, godfather to Zoe and Adam and friend to rescue dog Kalani. Treasurer, National Association of Science Writers and D.C. Science Writers Association. This is my first run for public office.
RF: As with the national trend, I see the underlying pressing issue of Jamestown to be the growing divide between people who have and people who have not, and without substantive community-minded plans to close that divide.
development encourages Grandover Village residents not to participate in our community or not to visit our town’s existing businesses, I see fewer benefits to our town.
Describe Jamestown in 1-5 words. KV: Prosperous, historic, welcoming, green, vibrant. LYNN MONTGOMERY: Aged 57. LM: Home Lived in Jamestown 20 years. I am a CerRF: A charming town in transition. tified Public Accountant. I am married to Doug Jones with one daughter and one What is Jamestown’s greatest asset? granddaughter. I have served on the JamesKV: Jamestown is blessed with citizens town Town Council member since 2011 and who value the community’s history, who am currently mayor pro tem and council invest wisely in infrastructure and who care liaison to the Planning & Zoning Board. for our natural surroundings. I have also served on the Planning Board LM: Its people. and Master Pedestrian Plan Steering ComRF: Its citizens. mittee. Member of the Jamestown Business What do you see is the most pressing Association and former vice president and president of JBA. Former finance committee issue facing Jamestown at this time? KV: Our downtown area has limited chairman for the Historic Jamestown Society. GO FAR (Go Out For A Run) board building lots available for new businesses member and volunteer coach at Jamestown moving into Jamestown. This requires the Town Council, working with the staff, to be Elementary School. proactive in reviewing our land use plans ROBERT FREDERICK: Aged 44. Dig- and consulting with citizens to determine ital Managing Editor for American Scientist how and when we address these challenges. magazine and have been a small-business LM: Continuing to develop the business owner, web editor for Science magazine, and recreation areas of town while maintainlecturer at the University of Michigan, high ing our small town quality of life.
What benefit to the Town do you see coming from the new development of commercial and residential area at Grandover Village on the town’s outskirts? KV: Jamestown is fortunate to be located between two large cities, although this situation also limits growth areas. The area around Grandover represents the best opportunity for Jamestown to benefit from additional commercial tax base but resulting in few services required by the town. The additional property tax receipts from this developing property will be a benefit to our residential tax paying citizens. LM: The annexation of the Grandover Village area will be an opportunity for development on previously unoccupied land. The town, and therefore, its citizens will benefit from the increased tax base and fees from utility customers. The annexation will offer additional residential choices within the town limits and provide more local retail and service business options. RF: To the extent that residents of Grandover Village visit our town and existing businesses, there is benefit to new residential area. To the extent that new commercial
What are your thoughts on the impact the Jamestown bypass would have on the town and what steps should be done to ensure Jamestown is not “bypassed?” KV: Twenty years ago, many community members were worried that Jamestown would be a ghost town, “bypassed” by the proposed new road construction. But by improving our downtown area and working hard to convince new businesses (at first restaurants) to move to Jamestown, we now have a very busy and growing downtown area. Jamestown is turning into the destination town we planned. LM: I believe this is an opportunity, not a detriment. Our downtown has continued to grow as a destination location. As the bypass is developed it will provide a more efficient way for visitors to travel to Jamestown. With the thru traffic between High Point and Greensboro rerouted, we could potentially have the speed limit on Main Street reduced and provide additional parking and design options. RF: As New York City’s famous urban planner Robert Moses once put it, “Cities are created by and for traffic. A city without trafsee MAYOR, page 3
Jamestown Veterans Committee recognizes area residents for their support By NORMA B. DENNIS FREELANCE WRITER Norma@normabdennis.com
Principal accepts 28.3 mile Trailblaze Challenge By NORMA B. DENNIS FREELANCE WRITER Norma@normabdennis.com Unlike many of his students at Haynes-Inman Education Center, a school for children with special needs, Principal Kevin Carr has no difficulty walking. But on Oct. 14 walking will become a challenge for him as he participates in Trailblaze Challenge, a 28.3-mile endurance hike on the Foothills Trail through the Blue Ridge Mountains. The event, which starts at Upper Whitehall Falls and ends in Oconee, S.C., is a fundraiser for Make-AWish of Central and Western
North Carolina. “Working at HaynesInman, I have seen several children that have been granted wishes,” Carr said. “I know someone who has completed the Trailblaze Challenge and thought since I was turning 60, participating in it would be a personal challenge and a way to help people.” When he discussed the challenge with his family, his son Casey and younger daughter Tara decided to walk the trail along with their dad. Three different groups will be participating in the challenge – including ones from Charlotte, Asheville
and the Triad. For the past several months, Make-A-Wish has sponsored practice hikes to help participants build their long-distance hiking skills. A hundred hikers are scheduled to walk in the challenge and an average of 15-20 attend any given practice. Carr has done most of them. “The practices have been in the mountains,” Carr explained. “It is a lot different than walking through the neighborhood. “Tara and I recently completed a 22-mile hike. The intention is for Casey, Tara and I to walk together. Most see PRINCIPAL, page 2
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see VET, page 2
Norma Dennis, Martha Wolfe and Sushmita DeAllen, left to right, were presented certificates of appreciation by the Jamestown Veterans Committee during the group’s September meeting. Committee members from left include Art Wise, Tom Ratledge, Bruce Dillon, Jim Dore, Jerry Snider, Dana Hughes, Josh Fields and George Orfanedes
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Kevin Carr, fifth from the right, has participated in several group practice hikes while preparing for a 28.3-mile trek, which will be held in October to raise funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. His daughter, Tara, fourth from right, will be walking along with Carr and her brother Casey.
hree area residents were given different reasons for being invited to the Sept. 13 meeting of the Jamestown Veterans Committee, only to find when they arrived that they were guests of honor. Members of the committee recognized Sushmita DeAllen, Martha Wolfe and Norma Dennis for the support they have provided to the committee since its inception. Each received a framed certificate of appreciation. “I was totally surprised,” Wolfe said. “When Bruce (Dillon) called, he said something about my campaign for the
Town Council and I thought they wanted to ask me questions about it.” Wolfe was actually being recognized for her work as a liaison between the Veterans Committee and the town when she was an employee. “She was our go-to person when we needed to talk to town management,” said Dillon, chairman of the JVC. DeAllen was recognized for providing a place for the committee to meet when the town hall was not available and Dennis for the publicity she has provided the group since JVC originally formed to create a veterans memorial at Wrenn Miller Park. “We appreciate everything all of you