TJ Cawley, candidate for mayor of Morrisville, NC

Two familiar faces want to be Morrisville’s next mayor.

Incumbent Mayor TJ Cawley is facing a challenge from Town Council member Liz Johnson.

Early voting in the Nov. 2 election 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: TJ Cawley

Age: 55

Residence: 103 Trellingwood Drive

Occupation: Morrisville mayor

Education: B.S. in Commerce, University of Virginia 1987

Political or civic experience: Morrisville mayor, 2017-present; Morrisville Town Council, 2013-17; Wake County Mayors Association, president; National League of Cities, Board of Directors; Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), Executive Board; Triangle J Council of Governments, Water Resources Committee chair; 2020 Census Wake County Co-Chair, Leader of Housing, Local Government and Young Children Subcommittees; North Carolina League of Municipalities (NCLM), Planning and Environment Legislative Action Committee.

Campaign website: www.MayorTJ.com

In August, you ordered a mask mandate unlike some other Wake County towns. Why?

Yes, I engaged in numerous discussions with Wake County Commissioners Chair Matt Calabria, my fellow Wake County mayors, our town staff and my colleagues on the Town Council. The health data and recommendation from Wake County indicated a compelling need to take additional action to address rising COVID-19 case numbers in the Greater Morrisville region. I was proud to lead the discussion at an open meeting of our Town Council, during which they unanimously agreed with my decision. This was absolutely the right thing to do for the public health of our community.

Do you plan to vote in favor of Morrisville’s $37 million bond package for parks, public safety, streets and sidewalks?

Yes, to meet the infrastructure needs of our rapidly growing town, Morrisville must leverage our debt capacity to accelerate projects that preserve and enhance our quality of life and facilitate business growth. The bond funds will enable us to create an even better Morrisville today and in the future.

What is Morrisville doing right, and wrong, on managing growth?

What Morrisville is doing right on managing growth is listening to what our residents want. Under my leadership, Morrisville undertook a multi-year effort to update our land-use plan, with input from all stakeholders. We identified three areas where everyone agreed that mixed use development, including multi-family residential, was appropriate and supported by our residents. I oppose more dense development outside of these identified areas. I continue to advocate for a thoughtful, balanced approach to development to maintain the trust of those we are elected to serve.

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

I will invest in our transportation network. We must continue our progress by building bridges, improving intersections and activating bus service and commuter rail, so that we spend less time in our vehicles and more quality time with our friends and family.

I will prioritize sustainability, including preservation and growth of our parks and open space. Our Parks and Recreation Master Plan recommends adding more than 100 acres to meet the needs of our community. That requires strong leadership and political will, and I am up for that challenge. Under my leadership, Morrisville hired a new sustainability director, and we are focused on becoming carbon neutral.

I will continue to advocate for Morrisville to become a Tree City, a Bee City and a Bike Friendly Community and strive for us to be recognized as a regional and state leader in sustainability by implementing innovative best practices to reduce trash, increase recycling and composting and adopt solar and renewable energy.

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

I moved to Morrisville in 2007 and helped my neighborhood receive traffic-calming speed bumps. I was recruited to serve on the Public Safety Advisory Committee and I’m a founding member of our Environmental Committee. This public service led to my election to Town Council in 2013. Four years of service led to my election as Mayor. I was appointed to the National League of Cities and I’m president of the Wake County Mayors Association. I’m a full-time mayor who works fervently at the local, state and national levels to ensure the health and safety of our residents. I am a public servant and I lead by example. I lead litter sweeps, walk, and ride on our greenways, drive on our roads, engage with our schools and youth, practice sustainability and support our world-class staff. I’m proud that Morrisville is recognized as the 10th best place to live in America and an All-America City. I’m honored to lead Morrisville — a small town with a big heart where we all #LiveConnectedLiveWell.

This story was originally published October 16, 2021 at 11:16 AM with the headline "TJ Cawley, candidate for mayor of Morrisville, NC."