Councilmember Jon Feichter

06/07/2026

I've seen the graphic making the rounds this weekend highlighting some of the challenges facing the Waynesville Fire Department. While I know Facebook isn't always the best place for context and nuance, I thought I'd give it a shot anyway because this is an important issue.

The truth is that the challenges shown in the graphic are real. I know they are because I created the graphic based on conversations I've had with WFD leadership for a video I've been working on about the larger Town budget. You can see the complete original version in this post.

The WFD—like several of our other departments—has significant capital needs, including:

- Fire Station 2: approximately $6 million
- Replacement of Ladder 15 ("Top Gun"): approximately $2 million
- Replacement of a pumper truck: approximately $800,000 to $1 million

That's roughly $9 million in needs.

No one on the Town Council is disputing that. In fact, figuring out how to address those needs without asking families who are already struggling with the rising cost of groceries, gas, housing, and just about everything else to carry the whole load is one of the biggest challenges we're facing right now.

And it's not unique to Waynesville. Communities across North Carolina and around the country are wrestling with many of the same issues: aging equipment, aging infrastructure, and costs that are rising faster than revenues.

That's why we've spent years working to position ourselves to address these needs. Congressman Edwards helped secure funding that will cover roughly half the cost of Fire Station 2, and we're continuing to work through how to fund the remaining needs.

The question has never been whether these projects are important. It's how to pay for them responsibly.

Every dollar we spend ultimately comes from the people who live and work here. That's why our job isn't simply to identify needs. It's to find a way to meet them without adding to the pressures local families are already facing or neglecting other responsibilities.

I don't expect everyone to agree with every decision the Council makes. That's part of public service. But I do think it's important that people understand the full picture.

The need is real.

The cost is real.

And the responsibility to find a way forward that meets those needs while respecting the people who have to pay for it is real too.

05/25/2026

Six years ago, I shared a video of the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

Regretfully, I don't think I've watched it again since then. It's something I should do every year.

In my lifetime, I've witnessed the ceremony three times, once as a child and twice as an adult. I don't remember what I thought as a kid, but both times as an adult, when the Sentinels saluted the tomb, the weight of the sacrifice made by those entombed there, and by all who have fallen in service to this country, hit me like a freight train.

One of my personal heroes is Abraham Lincoln, and if I had to pick one thing that symbolizes the heart of who he was, it would be the Gettysburg Address. The entire thing is worth reading, but one passage especially stays with me:

"It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us... that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion..."

Lincoln was speaking about the enormous sacrifice made at the Battle of Gettysburg and the responsibility of the living to be worthy of it. Those words still resonate 163 years later.

So today, on this solemn day, take a few minutes to watch the Changing of the Guard, and may we all remember and honor those who gave the last full measure of devotion so that we may remain free.

Twenty-one steps south. Face east 21 seconds. Face north 21 seconds. Twenty-one steps north. Face east 21 seconds. Face south 21 seconds. Repeat until reliev...

05/22/2026

Good news from this morning’s budget workshop: all five members of the Council agreed that we should not raise property taxes in this year’s budget.

With so many families already struggling to cope with the sky-high cost of gas, groceries, and just about everything else, we all realized this wasn't the year to ask taxpayers for more.

Council Member Sutton was instrumental in pushing for staff to go back and find another 2.5% in budget cuts to avoid raising taxes this year. There’s still work to do, and no final decisions have been made yet.

But there will not be a tax increase in Waynesville in this budget.

I’ve also been working on a short video to help explain some of the budget challenges we’re dealing with right now. More on that soon.

05/14/2026

Back in the spring of 2025, I spent time driving all the streets on a proposed paving list before budget decisions were made. I wanted to see for myself what kind of shape they were really in.

Boyd Avenue, Brown Avenue, and Chestnut Park were three streets that stood out most to me. These streets have been in rough shape for a long time, so I’m glad to see them finally getting repaved.

A lot of local government work happens a little at a time like this. It may not make big headlines, but these kinds of projects matter to all of us who’ve bounced down these streets for years.

04/15/2026

Last night, the Council voted 4–1 to approve the Phase II annexation at Queen’s Farm.

I voted no.

I want to thank everyone who came out to the hearing and those who have taken the time to reach out, share their thoughts, and engage in the conversation. It was clear how much people care about this community, and that matters.

I’ll be honest, it was tough waking up to this morning. I know a lot of folks are feeling that way, too.

I shared my reasoning during the meeting, and I’ve posted my full remarks below for anyone who wants to read them.

What stood out to me about the hearing was not so much the vote itself, but that after so many people took the time to come out and speak, the public still didn’t hear why the majority supported the annexation.

On a decision this important, I believe people deserve more than just the final tally. They should have a chance to understand the reasoning behind it, and that's what I tried to do.

Growth is inevitable.
How we grow is up to us.

04/14/2026

Public hearing tonight at 6:00 PM on the Queen’s Farm annexation.

This is one of those decisions that will shape how Waynesville grows for decades.

If you’ve got something to say, I’d encourage you tonight is the night.

04/11/2026

Waynesville has a decision to make. This is one way it could go.

Take a look at this short video and let me know what you think.

Better yet, come to the public hearing on April 14 at 6:00 PM in the Town Boardroom and share your thoughts in person.

This is an important decision that will shape our community for decades.

02/28/2026

Y’all!! This Chili Stroll is 🔥🔥🔥. Another hour to get to beautiful Downtown Waynesville to sample some of the best chili you’ll ever taste!

02/26/2026

Last night, the Town Council voted 5–0 to rezone 38 Hall Top Road from low-density residential to medium-density residential. The project planned for the site is affordable housing for seniors, with affordability protections in place for 30 years.

I supported the rezoning, and here’s why.

When it comes to growth and development, we should start with the idea that no neighborhood can be frozen in time. If Waynesville is going to grow deliberately, growth cannot always be expected to happen somewhere else. At the same time, no neighborhood should experience drastic change overnight.

This particular property sits next to the old K-Mart and just off Russ Avenue and the bypass. Water and sewer are already nearby. It’s relatively flat.

In other words, this is a place where growth makes sense.

That’s very different from extending development into steep slopes, undeveloped farmland, or places where we would have to extend infrastructure outward.

There are other factors to consider, though. Several nearby residents raised concerns about traffic at the Phillips Road / Russ Avenue intersection during the hearing. I share those concerns. Anyone who’s sat at that light knows cars can back up, especially during peak hours.

Traffic at that intersection has been a challenge for some time, and adding vehicles to an already busy intersection requires careful consideration. That’s why it’s worth examining whether operational improvements—such as adjusting the timing of the signal or improving turn-lane configuration—could improve flow. I plan to ask staff to coordinate with NCDOT to evaluate possible improvements.

Rezoning this individual parcel does not mean every other lot on Hall Top should move to medium density. Each request must stand on its own characteristics. In this case, its proximity to high intensity commercial zoning, access to utilities, and topography make the transition appropriate.

And importantly, this results in 30 years of affordable senior housing—something our community needs.

Growth is inevitable. The question is whether it happens on our terms—and whether we are willing to apply consistent standards about where it belongs.

My goal is steady, durable growth in the right places—guided by the 2035 Plan, but always measured against the long-term health of Waynesville.

02/23/2026

Head's up, y'all. Tomorrow night's public hearing has been cancelled.

I'd expect this will be temporary, and I'll let you know when it's coming back up again.