Tommy Byrd, Cary Town Council, At-Large

NAME: Tommy Byrd

OFFICE FOR WHICH YOU ARE RUNNING: Cary Town Council, at-large

AGE: 45

OCCUPATION: President and chief executive officer of Byrd Commercial Properties, co-owner of Signs Now RTP

EDUCATION: B.S., industrial relations, UNC-Chapel Hill, 1986

POLITICAL PARTY AND EXPERIENCE: Republican.

CIVIC ACTIVITIES AND OTHER AFFILIATIONS: Cary MacGregor Rotary Club, Sigma Chi Alumni Association, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Alumni Association, Cary Visual Arts Inc., Kirk of Kildaire Presbyterian Church in Cary; Professional: Triangle Community Coalition, Triangle Commercial Property Exchange, Triangle Commercial Association of Realtors, TCAR Government Affairs Committee chairman, president-elect TCAR 2008, Cary Chamber of Commerce, Morrisville Chamber of Commerce, Realtors Commercial Alliance.

WHY SHOULD YOU BE ELECTED? I believe the quality and choice of our children’s education, adequate police, EMS and fire protection, fiscal responsibility, and the management of growth are just a few of the issues we must continue to address to remain a successful community. Cary needs fresh thinking to successfully take on these challenges. As your Cary Town Council member, I will focus my attention on: implementing sustainable growth management policies; pushing for comprehensive school system reforms that offer parents more choices, and better choices; accountable, conservative spending and fiscal responsibility; continuing improvement of our roads, infrastructure, parks, greenways and open space; attending to first-responder needs — police, fire and EMS, insuring more than adequate public safety; keeping working relationships with all Cary Town Council members; improving regional communication with the Wake County commissioners, Wake County school board and state agencies to implement cost-effective solutions.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 851-6122, ext. 12; www.byrdforcary.com; ByrdForCary@gmail.com

1. How do you propose the town manage infill development so that the approval process generates results acceptable for both residents and developers?

To successfully manage infill development, there needs to be a public-private partnership to plan and implement balanced development that both protects private property rights and maximizes the benefit to the citizens of Cary. Open space, parking, and a balance of commercial and residential uses are key to that success. Cary’s downtown area will require cooperation from both the town and property owners to make it economically feasible for long-term planning.

2. What are the three most critical projects in the town’s capital-improvement plan and why?

I believe the three most important projects for the town are:

-- Water capacity for the short and long term. Increasing the town’s capacity for storage and wastewater treatment are key to being able to keep pace with growth. Planning for and implementing new water sources must be started early. We have to think 10-plus years out to adequately meet these needs.

-- Roads and traffic management are very improtant to a vibrant community. Regardless of the amount of growth that Cary experiences individually, our neighbors in Raleigh, Apex, Morrisville will continue to grow. Many people that drive through Cary do not necessarily live here. Planning for that infrastructure capacity is critical to avoid further congesting our town.

-- Schools, parks and greenways are all key to a successful community. While the Cary Town Council has no direct control over the Wake County School System, we can have an impact and a voice. Working within the recent legislation authorizing the public-private partnerships, we can be part of the solution to building quality schools more efficiently and offering parents more choices for their children. The same old way of doing business for the WCPSS is clearly inadequate in my opinion. Cary has over 20-plus miles of greenways and 21-plus parks. As Cary grows, we must increase those resources. It is good for the environment and good for business.

3. Which of these should the council address first: complete the joint land-use plan with the Chatham County Board of Commissioners or revive the request for extraterritorial jurisdiction for land to the south and east of the town? What is the basis for your choice? I believe the priority should be on the joint land use plan. Jordan lake is our primary water source and must be aggressively protected. Because of Cary’s westward expansion into Chatham County, we need to plan for the right balance of density and infrastructure. A mutually agreeable plan should be in place prior to major development. I do not believe in forced annexation to expedite development.