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By Mike Barnhardt

Enterprise Record

Ken Gamble is in his dream job.

Mocksville’s newest town manager has had his eyes on this town for quite a while – citing its clean and vibrant downtown area, positive growth and outlook.

“Some people would see this as a job,” he said. “I consider this as the job.”

Gamble was a runner-up in a past town manager search, but didn’t give up. He comes to Mocksville from Denton, where he was town manager.

“Mocksville, since two years ago, has been my dream job. I saw what you all have done, and I said, ‘I want to be a part of this’.”

He wants to continue to help Mocksville grow, and says regional and local partnerships will continue to be important. Other communities, he said, would love to have the opportunities Mocksville has.

“Anything that improves the community not only improves Mocksville, it improves Davie County. As leaders, we have to be thinking openly to different ways of doing things.”

Don’t use the phrase “that’s the way we’ve always done it” to Gamble. He wants to hear new ideas, better ideas.

Town employees are well respected and do their jobs well, he said. That includes interaction with the public.

“Your policy is what your people are doing on the street. When we do that consistently – and share our successes – that’s how we build our brand. It’s what you’re doing on the street that matters.

“Here, there is a sense of pride, and people can see it. I’ve heard consistently that people are impressed by how clean the community is, how great the downtown looks. It’s phenominal. The thing Mocksville has going, we need to build on that.”

Prior to his interview for the job, Gamble said he spent a couple of hours walking through town, visiting business owners and getting a feel of the community. He was impressed by what he heard and saw.

“Our responsibility is to make it better, not keep it the way it has always been.”

Throughout his career, Gamble said his main goal was to leave a place better than when he arrived.