The last time High Point had a contested mayoral race was in 2005. This year, longtime incumbent Becky Smothers actually faces two challengers. One, Dwayne Hemingway-El, is distinguished mostly through his colorful legal theories regarding the Moorish sect’s right to travel without bearing state-issued plates and identification cards.
The other, Jay Wagner, is a more typical candidate, with a respected business background and an extensive history of civic involvement. At the age of 42, Wagner is almost three decades younger than the incumbent mayor.
A partner at Fisher Clinard & Cornwell law firm who does a brisk business in real estate cases, Wagner works out of an office in the Time Square building in city’s busy Uptowne High Point section, where he is the chairman of the neighborhood business association. Engaging, alert and warm, Wagner possesses the kind of reserved personality that puts new acquaintances at ease and avoids ruffling feathers.
And yet age and attitude probably distinguish him the most from the woman he would like to unseat.
“Not just the mayor’s race, every race is contested this year except one, in Ward 3,” Wagner said. “I think for some people there’s a perception that the city doesn’t seem to be moving forward.”
Wagner said he believes the city has done a pretty good job of recruiting large companies, but could do better by its local small businesses. As chairman of the Uptowne High Point Association, he said he hears a lot of complaints from small business owners about signage restrictions, garbage permit fees and other frustrations.
“The tougher thing is to take city government and streamline approvals, and make things friendlier for small businesses,” Wagner said.
A native resident and a core city businessman who has been closely involved with City Project, Wagner is as much a cheerleader as a critic.
“I think a mayor can redirect a city to do new, innovative things,” he said. “I can push for an agenda that calls for the elimination of as many regulations on small business as possible. The mayor’ chair is also a bully pulpit. I hope I can inspire private groups to try to make High Point a better place. Government doesn’t provide jobs…. Once a city provides basic services — fire and police services — economic development ought to be the next priority.”
Wagner said he applauds the city’s recent uptick in cultural festivals such as Party on the Plank, and credits Ilderton’s High Point Beach Music Blast series, now in its second year, with starting the trend. But he believes less visible if more tangible endeavors will ultimately improve High Point’s quality of life.
“I’d like to develop interesting places where people can gather,” Wagner said. “We need more streetscapes and parks where people can enjoy themselves. You have to be strategic. It needs to be in a situation where you have a mix of residential and business, you have residences that are in walking distance of businesses. Uptowne is unique in that regard."
Wagner said he believes High Point’s transportation and housing is in good shape, and the city’s police department is stellar.
“Our police department is a national model for how it handles crime,” he said. “The police department and a group called High Point Community Against Violence, they go around the country. I went to a call-in three weeks ago. There were witnesses from around the country.”
No comments:
Post a Comment