ELECTION 2020: Fletcher says council works well together
Published 11:01 am Sunday, October 25, 2020
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A candidate for election to the Locust City Council has been as far away as the Far East in his professional career.
Harry Fletcher, one of four incumbents running for re-election for four seats on the council, is running against incumbents Larry Baucom, Rusty Efird and Michael Haigler along with newcomer Barry Sims.
Fletcher is a Florida native who grew up on a dairy farm in the Jacksonville area.
Working in information technology as a career, he has taught some classes at Central Piedmont Community College and spent three years in Thailand in computer software and telecommunications with Mid Continent Telephone, later Alltel Communications. He managed a local company in Florida and spent four years in Ohio as well.
Fletcher is also a flying instructor and has taught on single- and multiple-engine aircraft for more than 50 years.
A member of the Locust City Council for the majority of the time since 2001, Fletcher resigned from the council at one point to help open the city’s ABC Store, but got back onto the council.
Fletcher said he “enjoys being a part of what’s going on, the decision-making process” with the city council.
“With my business background, I know a little about the city being run as a business. That’s a term that gets overused, but it really needs to be run as a business,” Fletcher said.
Having been on the board since N.C. Highway 24-27 was only two lanes, Fletcher said the city’s zoning ordinances need to be looked at periodically, adding “with my background and experience, I’m still not quite ready to get off the board.
The councilman said Locust does not have any overriding or contemptuous issues, adding the board “works extremely well together, noting the council’s efforts replacing the police chief last year with Steven Smith, then following Smith’s untimely passing a smooth transition to current chief Jeff Shue.
Fletcher said the current board has done “a pretty good job of trying to stay ahead of things.” He also credited City Administrator Cesar Correa, which “was one of the smartest things we did.”
He said the council has also tried to address the problem of parking at City Center. With on-street parking not allowed, the council modified parking requirements for residents. Fletcher added this is how the council “is staying on top of things.”