After edging out the incumbent during the Republican primary for the District 2 commissioner, two women are fighting for a seat on the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners.
Brunswick residents Patti Hewett and Sara Singer are in the November race for Brunswick's District 2 chair.
Hewett beat sitting vice chair of the commissioners, Marty Cooke, who has served a total of 18 years on the board, during the Republican primary election. Now, the final election will fall between Hewett and Singer to represent Brunswick's District 2.
District 2 is one of Brunswick's central districts, representing residents of Holden Beach, Shallotte, Supply and Varnamtown.
The municipal election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3, and polls will be open from 6:30 a.m.
to 7:30 p.m. Voters may also cast their ballots absentee by mail and during the early voting period, which begins Thursday, Oct. 15 and goes through Saturday, Oct. 31. Absentee ballots are due at the Brunswick County Board of Elections office by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
Here are the candidates' responses and their thoughts on current issues.
Candidate responses have been edited for style, grammar and length.
Sara Singer
Age: 38
Occupation: Owner of Smiles & Purrs; pet sitter
Education: Homeschooled through high school
Political experience: First time running for office
Political affiliation: Democrat
Patti Hewett
Age: 64
Occupation: NC licensed private investigator, present; retired from the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office after 30 years, previous roles included deputy, civil/warrant division lieutenant, detective, office manager, terminal agency coordinator for sheriff’s office and all county municipalities, pre-trial release program administrator, Anchor Initiative program coordinator; Founder of “Sheriff’s Tidings of Joy Program," “Brunswick County Sheriff’s Charitable Foundation, as well as "Diamond and Denim Ball”
Education: Basic law enforcement training certification; Forsyth Technical Community College; Brunswick Community College; North Carolina Justice Academy; Cape Fear Community College; Southeastern Community College; professional and special certifications
Political experience: No response
Political affiliation: Republican
What are the top issues facing the county?
Singer: Overdevelopment; PFAS and a water system that can't keep pace with growth; schools sorely lacking space and funding; self interest guiding the decisions of the current elected officials.
Hewett: I would put Brunswick County’s biggest issues into eight major categories: Growth and development; water supply and water quality; roads, traffic and transportation; schools and education; land, wetlands and environmental protection; wastewater and sewer capacity; public safety and emergency services; affordability and services for residents.
What goals do you have for the county?
Singer: Get clean water to every resident; comb through the budget and get rid of wasteful spending while creating more citizen input when it comes to budgetary spending - lead by the will of the people; fight to get our autonomy back as county to impose impact and developer fees that will then go toward infrastructure improvement; establish a tree canopy protection committee; work closely with the school board to bring our schools not just to current need but ready for the future; call out any and all corruption; call for an investigation into the water utilities department and any department where excessive spending is occurring.
Hewett: Brunswick County needs goals for the future, not just promises. Getting Brunswick County’s unified/land development ordinance updated, providing clean water for all residents, and working with our legislators to restore the authority for locally elected county commissioners to make down-zoning decisions affecting Brunswick County are my three top priority goals to meet. I will promote an annual “Brunswick County 2030 Progress Report” to keep taxpayers updated on the goals that commissioners are meeting. This county is my home. The great people of Brunswick County are the reason I served for 30 years, and they are the reason I am ready to serve again.
Why are you the best candidate for this position?
Singer: Because I'm not a politician yet. The business I own is centered toward serving others and caring for their most precious belongings (pets and home) with respect and compassion. That will translate to my work in the commissioners chambers. We need elected officials with empathy. On a fiscal level, I've for more than 17 years managed a budget, taxes, employees, customer relations and everything else that comes with a small business for a good part on my own. That takes dedication, focus and smart decisions.
Hewett: My experience, service and firsthand knowledge of Brunswick. For 30 years, I served the people through the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office. That experience gave me the opportunity to work directly with citizens and understand the challenges they face. I was born and raised in Brunswick. My family were farmers and commercial shrimpers, so I learned young the importance of hard work, community and taking care of the place I call home. I understand how important our land, waters, wetlands and coastal resources are to our heritage, economy and way of life. I'm committed to bringing my experience, local roots and knowledge to the board while putting citizens first.
What’s your plan to improve infrastructure in the county?
Singer: By placing the burden of the growth upon the developers - they should be giving back to the community they're so drastically changing. Developer fees will go toward roads, schools, etc. If the state corporate income tax were to be raised to 5% (it's on track to be 0% by 2030 under current state law), that would bring in an additional 1-2 billion dollars to the state budget and I'd fight like heck to make sure Brunswick is allocated what it needs.
Hewett: As Brunswick County grows, we must plan responsibly, ensure infrastructure keeps pace with development, and protect the natural resources future generations will depend on. We have to make infrastructure keep pace with growth, not chase growth after it happens. Plan infrastructure before approving major growth; update and prioritize our roads and transportation needs; protect our water and wastewater capacity. As we plan for the future of Brunswick County, I want to see clear goals, timelines, funding priorities and accountability so our citizens can see what is being accomplished with our infrastructure. Brunswick County cannot continue to plan for tomorrow using yesterday’s infrastructure.
What is your plan to improve water quality for existing and future residents?
Singer: We need a moratorium on development until a plan for infrastructure and an updated unified development ordinance are in place. We need the water system updated to keep pace with growth. This should be upon the developers to pay for. It would be prudent to bring in third party experts to determine best practices. In addition, Chemours/DuPont should pay all costs to permanently remove PFAS from the water. We need commissioners willing to address the PFAS issue through an environmental lens. Getting clean water to everyone will take a lot of moving parts and work but, I'm willing to take it head on.
Hewett: Clean water has prioritized for the people who live here today and the generations who will live here tomorrow. Brunswick's growth cannot come at the expense of our drinking water, rivers, creeks, wetlands and coastal waters. My plan would be to protect existing water supplies, continue aggressive testing for PFAS and other emerging contaminants, protect private well owners, strengthen stormwater and watershed protections where needed and make sure wastewater infrastructure keeps pace with responsible growth. I want officials to develop a plan for necessary improvements, funding, maintenance and future capacity for the N.C. 211 water plant. Clean water is not a luxury.
How will you support underserved areas in Brunswick County?
Singer: By bringing the people living in those areas directly into the conversation. I've heard Carl Parker go before commissioners asking for clean water time and time again. I feel his words fall upon deaf ears. Public engagement should go beyond public comments that aren't truly heard and hearings that not every resident is alerted of. Prioritizing the budget to make sure we aren't superfluously spending money could go to areas in most need should begin immediately. I would work with groups like the NAACP and local environmental groups to creatively address the issues facing underserved areas and all areas affected by the development.
Hewett: Every resident deserves access to clean water, basic services, safe roads, reliable infrastructure, public safety, parks and opportunities, regardless of what community they live in. As our county grows, we cannot focus all our attention and resources on the areas experiencing the most development while overlooking communities that have been here for generations and are feeling forgotten. I want to see the county identify where the greatest needs are, prioritize those needs and make sure taxpayer dollars are being used fairly and responsibly. No community should ever feel forgotten. Every citizen deserves a voice, and every community deserves to be heard.
Would you support a moratorium for residential development in the county?
Singer: 100%. My first two questions to the county attorney at my first commissioners meeting will be: "How do we get a moratorium passed?" and "how quickly can we do it?"
Hewett: I support taking a hard look at a moratorium on residential development where our infrastructure cannot keep up with growth. But, I don’t want to make promises without knowing what state laws allow us to do. Any discussion of a residential development moratorium must include impact on local builders, contractors, tradespeople and small businesses. If a moratorium is legally appropriate, I would support defining its scope, duration and exemptions. Valid, approved, projects should be treated fairly (if water and sewer can accommodate. I want to work with our local building community to find solutions that protect existing investments while making sure future development is sustainable.
What is your plan to support families experiencing homelessness in the county?
Singer: Partnering with the Brunswick County Homeless Coalition, Brunswick County Streetreach and any other groups like that will be vitally important because government will then be connected to the realities of what homeless families are facing and the groups that can counsel on what support financially is needed and where. I think that's the best place to start. Creating a department specifically to address homelessness, especially as the population grows, might be prudent and something I would absolutely support.
Hewett: Every family deserves compassion, dignity and an opportunity to get back on stable ground. As a county commissioner, I would support a coordinated, results-driven approach to homelessness. That means bringing the county, municipalities, nonprofits, churches, schools, businesses and other community partners together. It’s important to make sure families know where to turn, and focus on families with children. We need to address the causes, not just the immediate crisis, support organizations that are producing measurable results, expand partnerships for transitional and affordable housing. Also, taxpayers need to know their tax dollars are being used appropriately when being distributed. Everyone is accountable.
Do you plan to tighten or loosen any county ordinances? If so, name the ordinance and explain why.
Singer: I would call to ban all clear cutting and open burning (which would require advocating at the state level). I find it outrageous that during a burn ban placed upon average residents, developers were allowed to continue open burning. That's where I would start. All other ordinances, I would gather citizen input before making decisions on loosening/tightening.
Hewett: We need smart, enforceable ordinances that protect our citizens, infrastructure, property rights and natural resources. We need regulations that address where development impacts roads, drainage, water and sewer, fire protection, schools, wetlands or surrounding neighborhoods, before problems become the taxpayers’ responsibility. However, I don’t want to put unnecessary burdens on homeowners, farmers, fishermen, small businesses or responsible local builders. Growth is going to happen - the question is whether we manage growth responsibility or allow growth to manage us. I support tightening regulations where evidence shows they are necessary to protect our county, and removing unnecessary regulations. I cannot just name one ordinance.
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Savanna Tenenoff covers Brunswick County for the StarNews. Reach her at stenenoff@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Meet the candidates for Brunswick Board of Commissioners District 2
