Incumbent Randy Thompson and newcomer Gary Woods are racing head-to-head for the Brunswick County District 1 commissioner seat.
District 1 is Brunswick's most southern district, representing residents of Sunset Beach, Carolina Shores, Calabash, Ocean Isle Beach, as well as portions of the Ash and Longwood communities.
One commissioner is elected from each of the county's five districts for four-year terms, according to the county's website.
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.
Randy Thompson
Age: 68
Occupation: Retired Brunswick County Emergency Services director; small business owner
Education: Associates degree in fire protection; Bachelors in public administration from Shaw University; Certificate in non-profit management, Duke University
Political experience: Served as a county commissioner for the past 11 years; vice chair, four years; chairman, four years
Political affiliation: Republican
Gary Woods
Age: 66
Occupation: Retired U.S. Coast Guard finance and supply officer
Education: no response
Political experience: None
Political affiliation: Democrat
What are the top issues facing the county?
Thompson: Addressing the overdevelopment going on within Brunswick County will continue to be my top priority. Ordinances need to be adopted to ensure we can manage growth and provide more clarity for the planning board so that resident needs come first.
Woods: Smart growth without over developmentand I believe new development should be matched by the infrastructure and services needed to support it.
What goals do you have for the county?
Thompson: Get under control the surpassed infrastructure! We have issues related to storm water management, water and sewer capacity, overcrowding schools, as well as need for additional fire department funding, health care professionals and better state-maintained roadways. As many of these items are currently being addressed in various ways, continued focus will be required to ensure we are meeting the ever-changing demand.
Woods: I plan to work closely with county agencies andidentify the budget, infrastructure and public-safety investments needed to support this growth.
Why are you the best candidate for this position?
Thompson: As a lifelong learner, I was engrained in local government my entire career. I worked through ranks to become a department head for one of the most progressive agencies in North Carolina. I supervised a major department, ensured compliance with laws and regulations, balanced a budget each year, all while addressing unpredictable situations. As a county commissioner with 11 years in office, my skill set has led to balanced budgets without tax increases. That includes paying off a 2016 school bond of $152 million without raising taxes. I supported adding senior facilities, improving parks and a courthouse expansion. Again, all done without increasing tax!
Woods: I am qualified to serve on the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners because I bring more than 28 years of military service as a finance and supply officer. My military service is where I developed extensive experience in financial management, budgeting, resource allocation, logistics, accountability and responsible stewardship of public resources.
What’s your plan to improve infrastructure in the county?
Thompson: Reviewing options to address future water and sewer expansion currently. We need to only support expansion of development that has been approved. We need to seek change in the current state legislation, which can allow us to better control the growth.
Woods: I will push for greater accountability and careful evaluation of future development proposals, including their impact on our roads, infrastructure, natural resources and quality of life.
What is your plan to improve water quality for existing and future residents?
Thompson: We will have the county’s new Reverse Osmosis System online very shortly. This will be one of the best systems to date for handling the removal of forever chemicals from our water supply.
Woods: With the new PFAS settlement - North Carolina reached a record nearly $600 million PFAS settlement with chemical manufacturers Chemours, DuPont and Corteva in September 2026. The $95 million PFAS settlement Brunswick County is receiving is the people’s money, not the commissioners’ money. As a commissioner, I will demand that every dollar be accounted for and used to address PFAS, protect our drinking water and improve our infrastructure.
How will you support underserved areas in Brunswick County?
Thompson: My first suggestion is to utilize some of the funds received from the Chemours settlement to extend water lines to underserved areas of the county.
Woods: We need to listen directly to those communities and prioritize projects based on need, not simply where development is occurring. Brunswick County is already using this approach in places like the Longwood Road area, where a sewer project is extending service to historically underserved residents.
Would you support a moratorium for residential development in the county?
Thompson: Yes, if our state legislature can’t change the down zoning current in place, then we would have no other option than to enact a moratorium. A moratorium hurts everyone, it would be in the best interest of those associated with the development community to lobby our state legislators to approve downzoning for Brunswick County to avoid a moratorium.
Woods: Yes, I would support a moratorium on residential development until the infrastructure and services catch up to the unprecedented growth that has already occurred.
What is your plan to support families experiencing homelessness in the county?
Thompson: Continue to support our nonprofit community groups and work on additional options to address the situation.
Woods: I would work with Brunswick County Social Services, our churches, nonprofits and housing organizations to expand emergency and transitional housing, improve access to rental and utility assistance. I would also make sure families know where to go for help before they end up on the street.
Do you plan to tighten or loosen any county ordinances? If so, name the ordinance and explain why.
Thompson: The answer is tighten our ordinances! There is well too many to address individually. Examples include buffer zone expansion, storm water requirements, wetland protection, elevation requirements, tree and landscape improvements to add additional and the list goes on. Each example will enhance our county’s ordinance.
Woods: I would tighten the county’s burn-ban ordinance when conditions warrant it, particularly during periods of extreme drought and high fire danger. My approach would be to give the fire marshal clear authority to respond quickly when conditions become dangerous, while still allowing properly permitted and controlled burns when conditions are safe.
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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 1
