Charlie Wallin will run in the upcoming election as County Commissioner on the Democratic ticket.
An App State alumnus, Wallin said he is invested in making sure Watauga County has the funds to make capital improvements.
“I want us to continue to move this county forward,” Wallin said.
Wallin is invested in making sure Watauga County is up-to-date on technology, which includes improving the internet.
“A lot of people just assume that we have great internet, but there are many pockets in this county where the internet is horrible to the point that realtors can’t even sell houses,” Wallin said. “There are pockets that we need to make and take a serious look at because it is affecting the economy, with the ability to sell homes.”
Along those lines, Wallin said he also wants to make sure first responders, such as police officers and ambulances, have state-of-the-art equipment.
Wallin said he also wants to continue to bring in sustainable jobs for the community.
Wallin said looking at the budget for these sorts of things is important.
“You have to see what available funds you’ve got and manage them in a smart way. And making sure you are allocating the resources in a proper way and the revenue strings are there to cover that,” Wallin said.
Wallin said he also wants to use federal and state grants to make some of these changes.
“Free grant money is never a bad thing to have,” Wallin said. “There are always plenty of avenues to find ways to find money there without having to raise people’s property taxes or sales taxes.”
Wallin has served for eight years on the Watauga County Planning Board and spent five of those years as vice chair. He currently serves as chair of the Town of Boone’s ABC Board.
“Yes, you can be in business. Being in business is one thing but being in business and being in a government setting are two different things,” Wallin said. “You’ve got to be able to take both of those and work through the system that is government. It’s not the same as running a private business. And I‘ve done both.”
Charlie Wallin is running against Republican Tommy Sofield for the District Five seat on the Board of Commissioners.
Story by Anna Dollar
Photo courtesy of Charlie Wallin
Featured photo caption: Democratic candidate for Watauga County Commissioner, Charlie Wallin, smiles in front of the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains.
