Wesley Meredith

Occupation: Owner/President of Cardinal Landscaping

District you are running in 9

Campaign Manager: Angela Meredith

Daytime Phone Number: 910-826-6684

Address: 113 Great Oaks Fayetteville, NC

Campaign Email: zzbad55@nc.rr.com

Campaign Website: http://www.votewesley.com/

List most recent political/community experience (provide dates):

City Council, 2005-present

Military Affairs Council

FTCC Foundation, Board of Directors, 1995-present

City of Fayetteville Appearance Commission, 1999-2003

Cape Fear Botanical Gardens Board of Directors

 

What business/civic organizations are you associated with (list leadership roles):

Fayetteville Kiwanis Club, 1993-present

International Society of Arborists

North Carolina Landscape Contractors Association

North Carolina Association of General Contractors

International Society of Arborists

 

As a candidate, what are your top three policy issues?

1. Taxes

2. Crime

3. Quality of Life

 

What specific NEW initiative would you suggest for economic growth in Fayetteville? How would it be implemented? I suggest focusing on the strength we have in our military community, and out ability to draw globally from that. We need to develop a Military Business Park to accommodate industries that supply and support the various aspects of our military forces, and develop a comprehensive marketing plan to focus on military contractors.

 

Can Fayetteville and Cumberland County successfully consolidate/merge their governments? What would be the benefits/problems of consolidating the two into one? Yes, they can. We currently have consolidated Parks and Recreation department. Anytime you can do away with duplicative services, it will save the taxpayers' money. Problems will be with the initial restructuring because some people will not be willing to give up positions that are no longer needed. However, once implemented and streamlined, a consolidated government will prove to be more efficient and cost-effective.

What do you believe to be the city council’s greatest accomplishments and disappointments in the last two years? One of the biggest successes has been the improvement of public safety. In 2005, the city was short 53 police officers. We gave our officers a pay raise and worked to fill those vacancies. As well, fleet replacement had been woefully under funded by the previous councils. We have since approved the purchase of 180 new police cars to rectify this problem. The council has had the least success with finding a permanent funding source within the current budget to provide services (i.e. sewer, bus service) to the Phase V annexation area.

 

How should the city best leverage the impact of the BRAC process? Leveraging the BRAC process will require that the city not only focus on the military personnel coming as a direct result of the realignment, but move to attract and accommodate the various contractors that will be following them as support. To that end, we much have a clean sustainable community that is attractive and offers competitive opportunities.

 

How the city council and the business community can work more effectively to build a better workforce? This can be accomplished through a positive feedback system: whereby local businesses continually provide information as to vital needs and thus give the city council the opportunity to provide them.

 

What would you do to work cooperatively with the other members of the city council? I have always tried to keep an open mind and give fellow council members the opportunity to fully express their views. When you give respect to others, they are more likely to respect you in turn. Above all, abide by the Golden Rule.