Photo by Dave Vieser

Dec. 2. By Dave Vieser. With the swearing-in of newly elected town officials, Monday evening’s Town Board meeting was the last for Cornelius Mayor Woody Washam, who served four terms as mayor and three terms as a town commissioner.

In his farewell comments to a packed audience, Washam expressed gratitude to the commissioners, town staff and his wife, Sharon.

“This has been a wonderful experience,” he said. “These commissioners really know how to drill down on the issues we face, and I’m sure they will continue to do so for our new mayor. I would be remiss if I didn’t thank my wife, Sharon. She’s been by my side all the time, and I couldn’t have done it without her.”

Also bidding farewell was Commissioner and Mayor Pro Tem Scott Higgins, who chose not to run this year. Washam presented Higgins with a plaque of appreciation, noting his work over the years on the town board, as well as the planning and parks boards.

Following their comments, Davidson Mayor Rusty Knox swore in Mayor Denis Bilodeau, whose first order of business was announcing that the Community Room at Town Hall would be renamed the Woody Washam Jr. Community Room.

In addition to the new mayor, rejoining the Town Board Monday evening was Commissioner Colin Furcht, who had been serving on the Planning Board since 2023 after previously serving one term on the Town Board. Commissioners Robert Carney, Susan Johnson, Michael Osborne and Todd Sansbury were also re-elected and took the oath of office Monday.

The new board also adopted the 2026 meeting schedule, with most meetings to be held Monday evenings starting at 6 p.m. Bilodeau also introduced members of the Transportation Advisory Board and the Planning Board, noting that they would have a consistent presence during upcoming board meetings to address concerns voiced by residents about traffic and development issues.

Budget survey open

As part of its annual budgeting process, town officials announced that the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Survey is online. The roughly five-minute survey is used by town staff and elected officials to gauge public sentiment on how residents want their tax dollars spent on government services.