We are doing an overview of all the mayoral races in Moore County for the upcoming election. Today we are looking at the race for mayor in Vass.

There are three candidates vying for the seat; Incumbent Eddie Callahan, James Moore, and Angela Vacek.

All three candidates were provided a list of questions that they responded to in written form. Their responses may have been lightly edited for brevity, clarity, and grammatical corrections. The candidates are listed in alphabetical order.

EDDIE CALLAHAN

Do you have family members, and how do they feel about you running for office?

I do. I have a wife of 39 years and 3 children ages 37, 35 and 32. They are all very supportive of me, and from all indications, appreciate what myself along with the board of commissioners have accomplished over the past 20 years.

How long have you lived in the area?

Born and raised here. My love for this town runs deep and goes back several generations.

Have you served in any elected or volunteer roles?

I am finishing up my 10th term as mayor. In addition, I have served on the board of adjustments for a little over 6 years.

What is your job/occupation?

I am the purchasing manager at Southeastern Tool & Die in Aberdeen.

What are you most proud of in your town/village?

The infrastructure improvements (sewer expansion throughout the town). This has allowed for a lot of new homes, which in turn, improve our tax base. This is the key to a bright future with more businesses coming in as well as better amenities for our citizens. Also, the construction of our administrative building.

What are your priorities if you are elected?

To stay the course with smart growth and always put the people of Vass first.

What area needs the most improvement?

We definitely need to improve our existing park and to expand with satellite parks in other areas of town.

What are your goals for the first 90 days you are in office?

To listen to the needs and wants of the citizens and act on them as quickly as our finances will allow. I also will be establishing a board of volunteers to oversee special events throughout the town that will involve residents of all age groups.

JAMES MOORE

Do you have family members, and how do they feel about you running for office?

Yes, I do, and the ones that know are happy and excited.

How long have you lived in the area?

I was born and raised here, although I’ve moved around some. I’ve been back in this area for many years.

Have you served in any elected or volunteer roles?

No, I haven’t; I’m not a politician; I’m just a regular working-class guy. I own and operate a small landscaping and tree removal business.

What are you most proud of in your town/village?

I’m most proud of all the new military families that are buying homes here, as they bring a much needed positive growth and added a sense of security to our Town.

What are your priorities if you are elected?

To have 24-hour police and or a community watch, to provide a better park and more things to do for our children, to make sure that the new houses that are being built aren’t going to flood in heavy rains, and to fill as many of our vacant storefronts with new businesses as possible.

What area needs the most improvement?

Our park. 

What are your goals for the first 90 days you are in office?

To get to know the people that I will be working with and the citizens that I’ll be working for.
To develop a good relationship with our business owners and to educate myself as much as I can on being the Mayor.

ANGELA VACEK

Do you have family members, and how do they feel about you running for office?

I am a wife and a mother of four children, two of whom are adopted. My husband, Larry, proudly supports my candidacy and run for public office. He stands by my side every step of the way, and we are strong in our faith, our marriage, and service to others.

How long have you lived in the area?

We are so blessed that the military brought us here. We have been a part of the community for the past six years. Vass is and will always be our home. We are locals at heart.

Have you served in any elected or volunteer roles?

I volunteered to serve our nation and proudly served in the Army. I’ve served in various volunteer roles over the years, to include assisting victims from our community affected by Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael.

What is your job/occupation?

Mom, veteran, and advocate.

What are you most proud of in Vass?

The Town’s rich history, small-town values, sense of community, and the unlimited potential for the Town’s future success.

What are your priorities if you are elected?

Work with Commissioners to improve the park, improve community relations between the citizens and police department, upgrade the sewer/civil infrastructure, reduce property taxes, and plan for responsible future growth.

What area needs the most improvement?

There’s always room for improvement everywhere, especially as the Town is growing. I believe that civil infrastructure upgrades are the most limiting factor for commercial, small business, and residential growth. We must address this in order to attract new businesses that will create more job opportunities for our residents. Upgrading the infrastructure will also set the conditions for affordable homebuilding, which is a vital necessity for our growing population.

Early voting has begun and will run through November 1. The election is November 5. You can find more information on the Moore County Board of Elections website.

Sandhills_SentinelLocal News/Government Reporter Chris Prentice.
Contact him at [email protected] or (910) 639-9303

 

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