District 3 is in northeastern Franklin County and includes the Town of Louisburg, East Louisburg Country, West Louisburg Country, Sandy Creek, Cedar Rock, and Gold Mine communities. Our residents enjoy a small-town, rural, and agricultural lifestyle.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – As a County Commissioner, I intend to work closely with both the Franklin County Economic Development Commission (EDC) and the Franklin County Tourism Development Authority (TDA). I also intend to work with other groups, such as Northeastern Franklin Revitalization, to spur economic development. Local job creation is critically important to our county, particularly the underserved and underdeveloped areas comprising District 3. As a district, we need more local, higher-wage employment opportunities for our residents.
It’s my position that economic development must be properly managed to ensure the rural and agricultural lifestyle that our residents appreciate. By focusing commercial development in and around the town of Louisburg, including at the Triangle North Franklin Business Park, while promoting tourism and agritourism business development in our more rural areas, affords our residents the quality of life that’s important to us.
EMS COVERAGE – Emergency Medical Service Stations in District 3 include White Level, Justice, and Louisburg Stations. It is my position that the areas north of Hwy 561 and US 401 to the west in Sandy Creek and the areas around Centerville and the northern part of the Gold Mine community are underserved. It’s also important that all of our existing EMS stations are adequately staffed.
BROADBAND – Access to high-speed internet has become an essential service, much like the utilities that serve our homes – the necessities of electricity and water. Being connected to the larger world expands educational opportunities, provides entertainment options, affords greater access to healthcare, and enhances economic development including remote worker opportunities. The benefits of broadband connectivity are limitless.
Franklin County, being a rural community, is caught in a digital divide. As compared to more populated areas, we have a smaller population which equates to fewer subscribers for broadband services. Additionally, rural areas often have lower median incomes and an older population, further reducing subscriber numbers.
Compounding the digital divide, as a rural area, the distance between homes is much greater than in metropolitan areas. This distance makes the cost of the required infrastructure build more expensive (greater distance, fewer subscribers).
Our Franklin County Commissioners took another positive step recently in approving $2 million in additional funding as the County contribution to the Completing Access to Broadband Project, which I wholeheartedly support.
