Oct. 20. With polls at Cornelius Town Hall opening on Thursday for early voting we reached out to the candidates for the town board of commissioners and asked them about priorities for their upcoming terms if elected.

Q1 | What is your stance on evaluating private and commercial real estate development requests, and what actions do you plan to address roads and traffic issues?

Q2 | Outside of those two issues, outline your three other main priorities for your term?

Todd Sansbury (incumbent)

Q1 | Newly approved developments should provide additions or amenities that the town lacks. I base my decisions on the majority of citizen input.  Road improvements should be proactive and efficient.  Small changes like the improvements at Westmoreland/Statesville Rd and Jetton Rd extension have a tremendous impact, without relying on NCDOT.

Sansbury

Q2 | Outside of improved traffic and controlled development, public safety and green space are my top priorities. I fully support increased compensation for fire, police and school resource officers. Every aspect of our community hinges on safe neighborhoods and schools. Safety also extends beyond crime, and we will continue to focus on pedestrian and bike improvements, new guidelines for electric powered vehicles, and enforcement of current laws such as speed limits. Cornelius is a special community, and everyone’s wish for a “small town feel where every citizen feels safe and content” is possible with the right leadership.

Green space, green space, green space! I voted against projects that would destroy our precious tree canopy, and voted for initiatives, like the Park Bonds, that will preserve parks and farmland. Once open land is developed, it will never revert back to its natural state. We need green spaces, parks, and undeveloped land to support wildlife, trees, and our communities natural beauty. If elected, I will fight to protect preserved farmland and drive initiatives that support less development on undeveloped land.

For every proposed town-funded project, I always ask “can we do this cheaper and faster.”  Serving as a Cornelius commissioner is an honor that I don’t take lightly.  During my first 18 months in office, our board didn’t approve any new development or projects, because it was the right thing to do and citizens asked for a pause. Citizens can and should shape the identity of our great town, while holding their elected officials accountable to take actions that benefit everyone, not a select few. I would be honored to continue to serve on the town board and strive to represent every voice in Cornelius!

Michael Osborne (incumbent)

Q1 | Follow the land use plan – residential stays residential and commercial stays commercial. No exceptions. My record proves commitment: only no vote on Cashmere apartments. Strategic parks bond use prevents apartments. Hiring a Cornelius-focused EDC director to recruit appropriate businesses. Continue pursuing funding for infrastructure after record spending of $20 million.

Osborne

Q2 | Community life and gathering places (neighborhood connections). Building on my track record of leading our first citizen-driven land use plan and organizing North Carolina’s first community-driven AI summit, I will advocate for Cornelius’ first business prosperity task force – bringing business leaders, residents, and commissioners together to uncover new opportunities. I will support expanding walkable gathering places by listening to business owners already leading this effort and using my role to accelerate their ideas. I will push for new social districts, outdoor dining parklets, food truck nights, and coordinated events – bringing options right into our neighborhoods and making community life more connected beyond downtown.

Growth and identity (townwide gathering and progress). I will fight to hire an economic development director with guidance to protect our identity and manage growth. I will push redevelopment that strengthens Cornelius while minimizing overcrowding and traffic, making downtown a vibrant arts and dining hub where the entire town can gather. I will advocate pursuing alternative funding for Festival Street, the Academy Street connection, and Downtown Master Plan projects that ease traffic and improve parking. I will continue bringing business, government, and community together to deliver results – from walkable gathering places and downtown vitality to green space and family-friendly parks.

Green space and parks. I will fight to protect green space and deliver new parks for families using the $20 million parks bond to acquire and preserve land – reducing traffic, expanding recreation, and maintaining our town’s character. I will advocate delivering Westmoreland/Alexander Farm’s 15-acre park with trails, picnic areas, courts, and a connection to the McDowell Creek Greenway. I will push acquiring land for a future park north of Bailey Road and build a family-friendly greenway linking Smithville Park to JV Washam Elementary – kids can safely walk or bike while protecting an important green corridor.

Susan Johnson (incumbent)

Q1 | I support smart, managed growth to slow down new residential developments from being approved until our infrastructure challenges are addressed. I consider commercial developments on a case-by-case basis to carefully weigh both benefits and impacts to ensure balanced development that truly serves our community.

Johnson

Q2 | Public safety. I’m proud that we advanced the transition to a full-time fire department, supported the Mecklenburg County MEDIC study, and added new crosswalks to improve pedestrian safety all while keeping Cornelius’s tax rate the lowest in the region.

Infrastructure. When it comes to roads and transportation, our community is seeing more improvement projects underway than at any other time in our town’s history, with even more planned to address current and future needs.

Quality of life for our residents is equally important. I’ve supported greenway expansions and recreational opportunities that give residents safe, enjoyable ways to connect with each other and with our natural surroundings. At the same time, we have worked diligently to slow the pace of residential overdevelopment, while encouraging smart commercial and industrial growth that brings jobs, services, and balance to our community. In addition, the update to our Downtown Master Plan is an important step toward ensuring Cornelius has a vibrant, thriving town center for years to come. By combining thoughtful planning with fiscal responsibility, we are strengthening the foundation of our community where people want to live, work, and play. Together, these efforts reflect a commitment to keeping Cornelius safe, connected, and positioned for a strong future. I will continue to balance progress with preservation so our community thrives for years to come.

Colin Furcht (former commissioner)

Q1 | As a former town commissioner and current planning board member, I am proud of the decision we made 4 years ago to slow residential growth and focus on business growth. This is my plan going forward. We need managed growth while remaining diligent on current/future road projects to address traffic.

Furcht

Q2 | I will remain focused on public safety, specifically maintaining and growing our police and fire departments. Residents have always demanded this to be our main priority, and I will do my best to help them both grow and maintain their current headcount.

Parks and recreation is also a top priority as we have heard from residents year after year. As a former parks and rec liaison during my first term as commissioner, I understand and appreciate the value of public spaces that can be enjoyed by all while maintaining as much of our small-town feel as possible. Finding the best use of the little bit of land we have is paramount.

Keeping taxes low will always be a focus. In my first term we only raised taxes by .01 which allowed us to right-size the pay rate of police and fire to make us more competitive. We enjoy one of the lowest city tax rates in the state and while we are currently able to provide the best services across the town, we need to be open to small and incremental changes in the future. While not a popular sentiment, we all need to realize that without growth, which we all agree is something we want to control, costs never go down. I believe we can continue to provide the best services without yearly or large tax increases.

Michael DeVoney (newcomer)

Q1 | I believe growth is inevitable but must be managed in a way that (1) increases affordability in Cornelius and (2) reduces the strain on public funds to keep up with the burden imposed on our infrastructure. Legal impact fees and the wise use of the proposed transportation tax will help.

DeVoney

Q2 | One of our biggest issues as a community is to manage a looming budget shortage caused by various bonds we took out to finance roads, parks, and town development (the bonds were approved in 2013, 2018, and 2023). If we don’t initiate a plan to offset the shortage, the state might take over the Town of Cornelius. Our town manager projects that on our current path we are in jeopardy of falling below our restricted fund requirements by 2029. It is incumbent on the town board to both anticipate and solve the issue, which has been well publicized over the last two years, although the current board has done nothing to effectively avoid the threat. I am a businessman and a problem solver, and I can help get this done.

I believe our town should pass a non-discrimination ordinance similar to the one in place in Davidson. I think such an ordinance will reinforce constitutional protections and present newcomers with a positive statement about who we are and how we want to treat our neighbors and municipal employees.

Finally, we all benefit from maintaining and improving our public spaces, including roadway landscaping, parks, and greenways. Many improvement plans have been made but current and future projects will benefit from prioritization and an effort to execute those plans already on the books. We live in a beautiful part of our great country – we should become even better stewards of Cornelius and our immediate environment.

Robert Carney (incumbent)

Q1 | Communities often grow by market profit, not balance. Cornelius must pursue a strong economic development strategy where jobs, housing, and leisure align to protect quality of life. Advancing our current road projects, including Exit 27, is critical to restoring balance and ensuring that growth supports our community.

Carney

Q2 | I want Cornelius to own its development future. A community that uses creativity, innovation, and discipline to manage growth can ensure tomorrow’s demands make us better, not worse. Too often, towns in our situation react to the interests of the private sector, forced into choosing the “least bad” option. Whether labeled as pro-growth or anti-growth, this reactive mindset allows the market to dictate our future. Instead, we must focus on leveraging development to improve traffic, generate revenue that keeps taxes affordable, and add amenities that enhance our quality of life. I will also focus on quality of life by expanding parks, greenways, and recreational amenities that make Cornelius a place families are proud to call home.

Beyond growth and infrastructure, I will prioritize public safety. As Cornelius grows, we must ensure our first responders are fully equipped and supported. This means balancing community safety needs with fiscal responsibility, while supporting the continued transition to a full-time fire department and enhancing police resources.

Finally, communication is key. I want residents to have clear, transparent updates on town priorities and progress. By opening more channels of communication, we can better share our vision while also listening directly to the concerns and ideas of the community. Together, these priorities will keep Cornelius strong, balanced, and prepared for the future.