Holly Springs will be holding a general election for Town Council seats on November 5, 2019. What do members of the Town Council do, and why is it so important to get out and vote?
According to the Town of Holly Springs website, Town Council is defined as the following:
There are six members of the Town Council, including the mayor’s position, and all are elected by the people. These positions are non-partisan. Elections take place during odd-numbered years on the first Tuesday following a first Monday in November, and elected officials take their seats at the first meeting in December, which is designated the “organizational” meeting of the council. At this meeting, the mayor pro tem position is filled by a vote of the council.
The Town Council is a legislative body and as such adopts Holly Springs’ annual operating budget, which by law, is always balanced and which includes a tax rate levied against real property, water rates, and impact fees; expenditures on municipal projects and programs, including such capital projects as streets and drainage improvements and buildings and facilities construction; and funds for departmental operations, such as police and fire protection, planning, and development. The Town Council is the final authority in adopting laws and rules that govern the Town of Holly Springs and provides for the safety and welfare of its citizens and visitors.
Although everyone knows the Town Council exists, there are many that aren’t aware of how and what the Council does that has an effect on their everyday lives. In fact, beyond the Mayor, few people know what roles are considered part of the Town Council. The members of the Council are the policy-makers for Holly Springs. So, how does the Town Council impact the citizens of Holly Springs?
We’ve compiled a list of just a few of the ways the Town Council’s decisions impact its citizens:
Approval to purchase public safety vehicles, such as fire engines
Road widening and improvement projects (While the main roads in Holly Springs are maintained by the NCDOT, Holly Springs Public Works maintains most neighborhood streets.)
Approval of new subdivisions
Planning and zoning for residential and commercial development
Collection of garbage, recycling and yard waste
Parks and Recreation amenities and activities
Use of public funds
Not unlike the State and Federal Governments, the Town Council’s responsibility is to its residents. They are responsible for updating the communities on the ways in which their money is being spent, and how they are working to improve the safety and convenience of their friends and neighbors.
Keep in mind, however, that these are elected officials. They are voted in by these same friends and neighbors, and are NOT party-affiliated. This means that the members of the Town Council are elected based on their individual merits, rather than their political party affiliation and that party’s political views. As such, there is likely to be a mix of Republican and Democrat officials sitting on a Town Council. This does not mean that these representatives don’t have their own political beliefs and values, but citizens won’t be voting based on those beliefs.
All Town Council meetings are open to the public, however there are instances where parts of the meeting will be held in closed session, pursuant to specific state laws written to protect the interest of the public. Neighbors are encouraged to attend these meetings to gather a complete understanding of what and how decisions are being made that directly affect them. Regular council meetings are held twice per month, at 7pm on the first and third Tuesday of each month.
It is easy to play “Monday morning quarterback” when it comes to the decisions made by local government. It is easy to criticize those that make these decisions. But what is important is that we each take responsibility for our community and place the best people in the positions that make these decisions. Research, ask questions, and make informed decisions, but most important, take the time to vote. Vote for those that are committed to making Holly Springs the best town in North Carolina.
You can enter your address at the following url to get your polling station: http://maps.wakegov.com/elections/polling/
Here are the local stations:
HUNT COMMUNITY CENTER
301 STINSON AVE, HOLLY SPRINGS
HOLLY RIDGE MIDDLE SCHOOL
950 HOLLY SPRINGS RD, HOLLY SPRINGS
HOLLY SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
401 HOLLY SPRINGS RD, HOLLY SPRINGS
HOLLY SPRINGS CULTURAL CENTER
300 W BALLENTINE ST, HOLLY SPRINGS
WAKE COUNTY FIREARMS EDUCATION AND TRAINING CENTER
3921 OLD HOLLY SPRINGS- APEX RD, APEX
HOLLY GROVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
1451 AVENT FERRY RD, HOLLY SPRINGS
