Early voting for this year’s municipal election starts Oct. 16. The topics and responses below are curated from the Boone Town Council Candidate Forum hosted by the Office of Community-Engaged Leadership.
Dalton George is running uncontested for mayor. Hee has worked on the Boone Town Council for four years and was appointed mayor pro tempore in 2023.
There are four town council candidates: Todd Carter, Virginia Roseman, Morgan Murray and Adrian Tait.
Carter is running for reelection for town council after serving for four years. He is the chief development director at Hospitality House. Roseman has also served on the town council for four years and is running for reelection for the position. She is an event planner at Publix.
Murray is running for town council for the first time. He owns Blue’s Brews on King Street.
Tait ran for town council in 2021 but dropped out before Election Day. He is a former App State interior design professor and now works as a project manager for Alair Homes High Country.
Expanding access to affordable housing
Todd Carter:
Carter said there is not one solution to Boone’s housing problem. He mentioned efforts outlined in Boone Next, a development project all four candidates worked on. He also drew attention to past efforts to eliminate short-term rentals and allow the development of flag lots, or land with limited street access.
Morgan Murray:
Murray described the housing problem in three groups: students, commuting workers and in-town residents. He said the first step is to offer enough housing for students. The second step is to build affordable housing in necessary locations for local workers.
Virginia Roseman:
Roseman said she convinced the council in 2021 to dedicate 1% of tax money to trust funds for affordable housing.
“My job is to be your voice,” Roseman said.
Adrian Tait:
Tait said the housing problem has multiple solutions and should not be oversimplified. He drew attention to his work building Boone’s first eco-community. He also said efforts to increase student housing should not be opposed, and the council should work alongside developers to increase “middle housing,” which is housing between single-family houses and standard apartment complexes.
Dalton George:
George highlighted past efforts to eliminate short-term rentals, implement inclusionary zoning and protect renters, especially as the state of North Carolina does not allow rent control.
Balancing development with the preservation of Boone’s character
Todd Carter:
Carter said 39% of housing in Watauga County is “owner unoccupied,” such as Airbnbs or second homes. He emphasized this figure is not true for Boone and mentioned a goal to increase the town’s walkability.
Morgan Murray:
Murray proposed making downtown Boone more student-oriented by increasing student housing and the number of student-run businesses.
Virginia Roseman:
Roseman said she valued the ability for different types of people to live together, such as older individuals living near students.
Adrian Tait:
Tait proposed the council work alongside developers to focus on downtown Boone as the “core” of town, which is “what makes us such a quaint place.”
Dalton George:
George wants to focus on areas of Boone other than downtown, making them equally walkable and green. He also mentioned a need for the efficient development of untouched neighborhood land into new housing.
Building connection between residents and students
Todd Carter:
Through Hospitality House, Carter said he worked with student groups. He said students are residents even if many do not stay longer than four years, and they need opportunities to participate in the larger community.
Morgan Murray:
Murray proposed focusing town development on the experience of students.
“We need to bring the cost of commercial space down so that students can open businesses for students,” Murray said.
Virginia Roseman:
Roseman proposed more events that bring the community to students, referencing children visiting campus dorms to Trick-or-Treat.
Adrian Tait:
Tait said the council must work with the newly-installed Chancellor Heather Norris to connect the university to the greater community.
Dalton George:
George said as a former student himself he understands that for many students, “Boone is not just a place you go to school. This really is home,” and somewhere they want to make a better place.
Increasing transparency of government
Todd Carter:
Carter brought attention to town council meetings, which allow citizens to participate via Zoom and provide input through Public Comment.
“Our first meeting is at 9 in the morning. Our next one is at 6 at night, so we can work around your class schedule,” Carter said.
Morgan Murray:
Murray stressed the importance of a community being able to communicate and disagree. He mentioned increasing voter participation and showing people they are heard.
Virginia Roseman:
Roseman proposed bringing back a student “liaison of App State” to attend town council meetings.
Adrian Tait:
Tait proposed looking at other small towns to see how they achieve transparency. He also highlighted a need to use social media to share more positive information about Boone.
Dalton George:
George focused on accessibility. He said town council members should use individual platforms to reach more people and do more to explain policies to the general public.
Leadership approach
Todd Carter:
Carter called himself a “doer, not a talker” and cited organizations he has worked with: the Back 2 School Festival, the Watauga NAACP branch, the High Country LGBTQ Youth Alliance, Boone Pride and the Watauga Housing Forum.
Morgan Murray:
Murray said he is the type of leader to ensure others are heard and “make sure we make educated decisions based on empathy and love for one another.”
Virginia Roseman:
Roseman drew attention to her accessibility and ability to have conversations with citizens through her work at Publix.
Adrian Tait:
Tait said, as a leader, he serves the “group above,” or the needs of the greater community, before his individual needs. He referenced his work as a Scouting America cubmaster.
Dalton George:
George emphasized his approachability, saying that as a leader, he works alongside others to find a solution.
“As laid back as you can be, as approachable as you can be, and just pragmatic and regular, the better you are at government,” George said.
