My plan for Catawba County
Jay’s plan is four priorities: Back the Blue, Support Our Local Schools, Focus On Infrastructure, and Defend Our History and Heritage. That is the work he is asking Catawba County to send him to do.
01
Back The Blue
Goal. Give Catawba County’s law enforcement the resources, training, and neighbor support they need to protect and serve.
In Catawba County. Deputies and officers who answer calls on our town streets and rural roads. Training and tools so they can do the job. Community support that builds trust.
What a commissioner votes on. The county budget for the Sheriff’s Office, detention, emergency services, and related public-safety contracts. Commissioners do not run day-to-day patrol, but they do vote yes or no on the dollars and tools.
Year one. Sit down with public-safety leadership before the first budget, hear equipment and staffing needs, and vote a budget that backs the people who keep our neighborhoods safe.
02
Support Our Local Schools
Goal. Invest in quality classrooms, sound facilities, and a fair chance for every student — and respect the teachers who do the work.
In Catawba County. Local schools our kids already attend. Teachers who need to be backed. Facilities that are safe and in working order so learning can happen.
What a commissioner votes on. Local current-expense and capital appropriations for the school systems. Commissioners do not hire teachers or set curriculum; they vote the county’s share of the bill and should listen to parents and boards.
Year one. Meet teachers, parents, and school leaders, then vote school funding that puts classrooms and facilities first.
03
Focus On Infrastructure
Goal. Keep roads, utilities, and broadband in working order so families can get to work, school, and church, and so businesses can grow here.
In Catawba County. Roads and intersections people use every day. Water, sewer, and other utilities the county helps provide. Broadband so rural neighbors are not left behind.
What a commissioner votes on. County capital and operating budgets for utilities, solid waste, and related infrastructure, plus partnership and advocacy on roads the county does not own. Broadband is often grants plus local coordination — vote the county’s part.
Year one. Walk the budget with staff on roads the county controls, utilities, and broadband coordination, and vote maintenance first.
04
Defend Our History and Heritage
Goal. Keep Catawba County’s story visible — historic sites, local traditions, and community events that hold neighbors together.
In Catawba County. Places that tell how this county was built. Arts and community events already part of local life. A heritage worth passing to the next class, not sanding down.
What a commissioner votes on. Appropriations and partnerships that affect county historic properties, related trusts, and community partners. The board cannot rewrite state history standards; it can refuse to neglect local memory.
Year one. Listen to the people who already care for our sites and events, then vote to keep that work on the calendar and in the budget.