Having been raised in this community, I have seen Lenoir go from a very prosperous city into the time of transition we are in today. I never thought I would come back to Lenoir and call it home. But I am glad I did. This decision has given my wife and I an opportunity to be involved in the community and our children to experience wonders that you can only get from a small town childhood. Having ow
ned a small business, you have to be involved. I learned that by actively participating in the community you get things moving in a positive direction. We all live in a great community that is going through some of the worst economic times any of us have ever faced. I want to continue to be involved and feel that by being a part of the Lenoir City Council I can use my experience and expertise to help prepare Lenoir for a brighter future. What makes you a qualified candidate? In being a coordinator for vocational and technical education at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute, I have had the privilege of working with many agencies that help make Lenoir and Caldwell County a better place. I am a doer who likes to take action to make things happen. What experience will you bring? My wife and I had the honor to start and run our own business in Downtown Lenoir. This has taught me a lot about everything that goes into starting a business and everything that needs to be done to maintain it. I currently serve on the Caldwell Chamber of Commerce Executive Board and chair the Workforce Development committee. In addition, I have been past President and Vice President of the Lenoir Uptown Business Association, President and Vice President of the Caldwell County Education Foundation, ex officio member on the Lenoir Economic Development Board now called Lenoir Business Advisory Board (LBAB). I serve as a partner for the Caldwell County Job Link and work with agencies such as the Western Piedmont Council of Government, Caldwell Green Commission, along with the Employment Security, and Economic Development Commissions of Caldwell County. What are the greatest challenges facing the office you seek? The current members of the Lenoir City Council have done a good job at maintaining a sound fund balance and creating a solid foundation for Lenoir to grow. I plan to use this foundation to focus on promoting the City of Lenoir through economic development initiatives. This entire region has been hit hard by the loss of manufacturing jobs. There is still a place for manufacturing in Lenoir but we must learn to center our economy around something new. It is imperative that we have a game plan going into the future. By focusing efforts on economic development on Highway 321, Downtown Lenoir, and the existing industrial areas, we will add jobs to this community. This is the most important need at this time. How do you plan to deal with those challenges? I plan on dealing with these challenges by using the dedicated network of partners I have had the privilege of working with over the past several years to help develop policies and procedures within the city limits. One person can not do this by his or herself and it will not happen overnight. If elected I want to work together to bring new ideas to help develop a new Lenoir. What do you offer that no other candidate can? I feel that I am a part of a strong network of people who want nothing but the best for Lenoir and Caldwell County. We all want Lenoir to be successful but we have to learn how to be successful through different means. I respectfully ask for your support and your vote in the upcoming election. Vote Ben Willis, New Ideas for a New Lenoir.
