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The following is information on one of five candidates for Davie County Board of Commissioners. Voters will elected two. Early voting started April 28 and the primary election will be May 17.

The Candidate

Name

James Victor Blakley

Age

41

Address

Arnold Palmer Drive, Advance

Education

Davie High School, graduate; UNC Greensboro, bachelor’s degree in chemistry and business administration; Landscape Contractor License-State of NC;

Irrigation Contractor License-State of NC

Occupation

Owner & Operator of a family-owned landscaping company in Davie County.  Our company was originally founded in 1979 by my father, Tony Blakley.  We are a full-service landscape contracting company.

In The Community

• Participate in a number of worthwhile causes in Davie: The Davie Community Foundation, Cognition, Dragonfly House, Bermuda Run Cares, Davie County Go Far, Riverpark at Cooleemee, Mocksvillae Police Department Shop with a Cop, Big Brothers & Big Sisters, Davie Family YMCA, Storehouse for Jesus, Chestnut Grove United Methodist Church, William R. Davie Elementary School, William Ellis Middle School

• North Davie Ruritan Club (past President)

• Davie County Chamber of Commerce Board

• Various sports groups as children participate locally

Why did you decide to seek public office?

Blakley: We enjoy a great quality of life in Davie County, and it is my goal to make sure future generations have the same opportunities we have now. This can never be taken for granted, and I believe commissioners must be proactive in addressing our needs rather than waiting to respond when a problem arises.

Everyone has some responsibility for making the community a better place, and I want to do my part by serving as a Commissioner.

My experience as a small business owner will be beneficial in making sure county government is accountable to all citizens, while planning responsibly for the future.

What do you think are the most significant challenges facing the county, and how do you intend to address those challenges?

Blakley: Davie County is a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family. We have a tremendous school system, a low tax base, and great sense of community. This makes Davie County very attractive to people wanting to live here. Because of these, and other reasons, Davie County has experienced significant growth over the past few years. The most important issues facing our County are how we continue to deal with this growth and maintain our high quality of life.

With new growth comes new issues. We need to ensure our teachers and schools are able to serve our students without being burdened with overcrowded classrooms and insufficient supplies. We must guarantee we provide Fire, Rescue and EMS with the tools they need to continue delivering exceptional service. Our County will require new and improved roads and quality infrastructure projects. We also must increase water and sewer service throughout the County. Our leaders must be able to understand the complex nature of these problems and have the ability to solve them. Our commissioners must realize that Davie County taxpayers are the ones who are ultimately paying to address these issues. We must be good stewards of their tax dollars when addressing these needs. I will ensure that all decisions made that deal with these issues keep the taxpayers bottom line first and foremost. We must make decisions that improve the quality of life for Davie County citizens while also maintaining a fiscally conservative approach to addressing these issues.

What are the top qualities that should be considered for a county manager? What salary range should Davie County pay its manager?

Blakley: First and foremost, any candidate being considered for the job of Davie County Manager needs to have substantial prior experience being a County Manager. The needs of our county are significant, and our County Manager must have the capability to understand these needs. Communication is the next most important quality needed in our County Manager. They need to have clear and open communication with our citizens, our county departments and our County Commissioners. The citizens of Davie County need to know the County Manager is working to ensure all aspects of county government are operating to improve our quality of life.

The salary for the County Manager should be based upon experience and results.

Other Issues

Blakley: My wife Kristen and I reside in Advance and are lifelong Davie County residents. We are both products of Davie County Public Schools.  We have 3 wonderful children enrolled in the Davie County School System as well. I graduated from UNCG with a Bachelor Degree in Chemistry and Business. I am the second-generation owner of Blakley Landscaping Services in Mocksville. My wife is a licensed NC Physical Therapist and performs in-home physical therapy in Davie County.

When I first ran four years ago, I stated that County Commissioners must be held accountable to the people they serve. Our role is to listen to the needs and suggestions of residents and work with county departments to find solutions. It has been my honor to serve the people of Davie County over the past four years working to improve the quality of life of all Davie County citizens.

We have had tremendous success over the past four years. We increased the county teacher supplemental pay by more than $665,000. The Commissioners were able to provide almost $1,000,000 in increased funding to volunteer fire departments. The East Davie Water and Sewer project has been completed allowing for increased capacity. The Davie County Little League and the Brock Performing Arts Center both received over $150,000 for lighting upgrades. There have been many more successful actions taken over the past four years. But the most important fact is that we did all of this by not raising any taxes. In fact, we decreased property taxes ½ penny ($0.005). I will continue to work to improve your quality of life here in Davie County. It is extremely important that we elect leaders that understand how to get results while also maintaining our high quality of life and being good stewards of your tax dollars. I would be honored to continue serving you as a Davie County Commissioner and ask for your vote in the May 17th Primary.