Tracy Watson, candidate for board of commissioners in Fuquay-Varina, NC

Three candidates are competing for two seats on the Fuquay-Varina Board of Commissioners.

And there is guaranteed to be at least one newcomer who joins the board. Commissioner Blake Massengill is running for the open mayoral seat.

Incumbent Jason Wunsch has served on the board since 2013 and is competing against newcomers Bryan Haynes and Tracy Watson.

Early voting in the Nov. 2 election begins Oct. 14 and runs through Oct. 30.

To find polling places and full details on early voting, visit wakevotesearly.com or contact the Board of Elections at 919-404-4040 or voter@wakegov.com

Name: Tracy Watson

Age: 47

Residence: 905 Cahlfield Court

Occupation: Realtor and business owner

Education: trade school

Political or civic experience: Planning Board Member Town of Fuquay Varina. Board of Directors Military Missions in Action. Chamber of Commerce Ambassador

Campaign website: www.tracy4thequay.com/

In August, Fuquay-Varina Mayor John Byrne decided against ordering a mask mandate like some other Wake County towns. Do you agree with this decision?

Yes, I believe that each business owner is capable of choosing if they want to mandate masks for their establishment and guests.

Do you plan to vote in favor of Fuquay-Varina’s $38.5 million bond package for parks and transportation projects?

Yes, traffic is an ongoing issue in our town along with the rest of the Triangle. We just had the Judd Parkway open that was a relief, and as we continue to grow we need to continue to add to our infrastructure.

What is Fuquay-Varina doing right, and wrong, on managing growth?

I don’t think they are doing enough to bring business into town. We have plenty of new neighborhoods coming, and we haven’t been able to keep up. There is no way to stop the growth or people moving to our town.

If elected, what would your two or three priorities be during your first year in office?

Attracting new businesses to town and also streamlining the process to open a business. I’ve talked to business owners, and the process is not straight forward or clear.

I’d also like to look for creative ways to still grow but to control our growth and what that looks like. Work with residents to develop what they would like to see in town and what that looks like while still preserving our history and downtown areas.

What unique skills or life perspective would you bring to city governance?

I am a business owner so I bring that knowledge. I am also a mother, which I think is very important as we care about safety of our communities, schools as well as parks for our children.

This story was originally published October 14, 2021 at 7:21 PM with the headline "Tracy Watson, candidate for board of commissioners in Fuquay-Varina, NC."