Three seek two seats on Maggie Valley board
The Town of Maggie Valley has a town board with four aldermen/alderwomen and a mayor with voting power. Each official serves a four-year term. This November, two spots on the Board of Aldermen are up for election. Alderman Mark DeMeola will not be running for re-election due to health issues with family members that will require him to travel out of the area often.
Aldermen – pick 2
Saralyn Price, 54, retired police chief and part-time restaurant hostess
Price is the only incumbent running for re-election. She has served on the town board for four years. In Price’s view, the town should operate as a team to bring economic development into Maggie Valley. “One of my biggest goals is to get everyone working together.”
Scott Pauley, 48, owner of Travelowes motel
Pauley said he’d like to put an end to the disconnect he sees between the town board and citizens. He plans to do that by providing an open ear to everyone’s concerns and bringing more transparency to the board. “You can’t make everybody happy, but if you’re honest and open from the get go, people aren’t going to be upset.”
Related Items
Cataloochee Ranch welcomes bluegrass legend
‘Songs of America’ at HCC
‘Rock For Relief’
We’ll get through this, but we’ll need help
Phillip Wight, 41, owner of the Clarketon motel and a heating/cooling company
One of Wight’s primary goals is to get things moving in Maggie Valley, especially when it comes to hiring a festival director. “Do they want to hire somebody or do they not? If I’m elected, it’s not going to take a lot of time to make decisions.”
Ron DeSimone, 56, general contractor
DeSimone said he’d like to focus a little more on services for residents, but also have the town encourage economic development by creating business-friendly zoning and ordinances. “Tourism is certainly a part of the picture, but it’s only a part. Not every business in Maggie Valley is a restaurant or hotel.”
