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October 28, 2022 | News

Voter Guide: Holly Springs City Council Ward 2

Writer: Staff Reports

Published October 28, 2022
Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News

Derik Day

Name: Derik Day

Occupation: Human Resources

Age: 49

Residence: Holly Springs, GA

Hometown: Mt. Zion, IL

Family: Wife - Janet Day, School Counselor with Cherokee County School District; sons - Davis, senior at the University of Georgia and walk-on for the football team; Riley, who passed away in 2018 at the age of 14; Brody, fifth grader at Hickory Flat ES.

Education/military service: Graduated from Eastern Illinois University

Have you served in elected office before: I was elected and served in the Student Senate at Eastern Illinois University.

Why are you the most qualified candidate for the position?

I have lived in several areas similar to Holly Springs and have seen the good and the bad, and I want to share my experience to help grow Holly Springs responsibly. I’m running for City Council to create a long-term plan for Holly Springs. A plan that promotes responsible growth, a robust park system, and a sense of identity.

I’m running for City Council to work for my neighbors and work hard on their behalf. To address the concerns quickly. When we work together, we can move Holly Springs forward for future generations, which is what I want.

I will fight for the people of Holly Springs and do what it takes to ensure they are heard.

What is the greatest challenge facing Holly Springs?

Development and traffic.

What is your solution to that challenge?

All development is not the same. Some projects will make Holly Springs a better place to live, and others will not. It’s okay to say no to developers and projects that don’t fit. If we don’t say no to some, we will get the worst of everything. We can’t act like small projects aren’t a big deal if those projects don’t fit with the long-term vision for Holly Springs.

The growth is not stopping, but we must be wise and grow responsibly. We need to ensure Holly Springs sets a high standard as we grow and keep Holly Springs as one of the best places to live.

Paula Edwards

Name: Paula Edwards

Occupation: Sr. Director of Post-Acute Services and Case Management for a local Health Plan

Age: 48

Residence: Holly Springs

Hometown: Washington County, NC

Family (spouse, children): Married with 1 son

Education/military service: BSN

Have you served in elected office before: No

Why are you the most qualified candidate for the position?

I have practiced nursing in many different environments but the one thing that has always been consistent in my professional and personal life is I am a problem solver. I work hard for the people that are counting on me and I make things happen. I am an independent thinker that takes in all of the information and I am able to weigh options, listen to advice and make good decisions. If given the opportunity, I will bring these skills to bear for the citizens of Holly Springs.

What is the greatest challenge facing Holly Springs?

One of the biggest challenges in Holly Springs is growth. It is really both a blessing and a challenge. Most things that are worth doing, aren’t easy. Holly Springs’ population has grown over 383% from 2000 to 2019 and the city has done a pretty good job of trying to keep up. Now we are needing to balance industrial and residential growth. We need to ensure the safety of the community. Our roads are a lot busier these days and we have some real problem areas in this city. There are areas that have no traffic light or any way to moderate traffic to allow people to safely leave some neighborhoods. For example, try turning left from Stringer Road onto Highway 140.

What is your solution to that challenge?

We need and want growth but when new communities are being built we need more emphasis on infrastructure around the communities to help reduce risks of accidents and major traffic congestion. I will ensure that proposals make sense for the community. That infrastructure is thoroughly reviewed to ensure high standards are met. I will also ensure that we are careful about residential areas not being negatively impacted by businesses and industrial areas but ensure business growth is allowed. We can build a thriving business community without compromising our beautiful and peaceful home.

Dee Phillips (incumbent)

Name: Debbie J. “Dee” Phillips

Occupation: RN Case Manager

Age: 62

Residence: Holly Springs

Hometown: Blue Ridge, Georgia

Family (spouse, children): 2 sons, 2 daughters-in-law, and 4 beautiful granddaughters

Education/military service: I received my LPN and EMT from, at the time, Pickens Technical College, now, Chattahoochee Technical College; I received my RN from the State University of New York at Albany

Have you served in elected office before: I have served the residents of Holly Springs on City Council since 2002.

Why are you the most qualified candidate for the position?

I am most qualified for this position because of my experience. We are working through a critical point in history of Holly Springs, as we are redeveloping our downtown area. I have been a part of this Council since we started assembling the property that the project will sit on, which was almost 20 years ago. I have been here for all of the ups and downs of getting this project off the ground, from the initial purchases of property, to the recession of 2008 to the very exciting groundbreaking that happened last fall. The completion of this project will set the tone for our community for decades to come, and while things are moving along, it still needs the full support of an engaged City Council to continue. I am also very proud of the fiscal position the City is in, and while I am not the only one on Council who has supported a fiscally conservative approach to the City’s financial management, I am in full support of a conservative approach to the City’s finances and always will be. It is important to me that Council and staff think critically about budget expenditures while maintaining a healthy reserve.

What is the greatest challenge facing Holly Springs?

The City of Holly Springs is experiencing a time of overwhelming growth. Every community goes through this at some point in its history, if it is going to remain a community that offers a safe community, great schools, lots of commercial options, excellent amenities, and more. Because of that growth, the City has experienced a lot of negative comments over the last several years. There is a lot of misinformation out there, and I try to give the facts and explain my decisions on Council when asked. For example, I have often worked with Council to reduce densities in a lot of the higher density residential projects that have come before council recently. It is tough to balance the rights of property owners, who I believe have the right to sell their property to the buyer of their choice, while also making sure the projects we approve fit within the confines of the Growth Boundary Map, Future Land Use Plan, and the general character of the surrounding area. I specifically have been critical of some the more recent projects that have come to the City looking to develop built-to-rent properties as opposed to fee simple homes.

What is your solution to that challenge?

I prefer high density be built in close proximity to the interstate with lower-density projects built as you get further away from the interstate and downtown area. To support these ideals, I also have been in favor of the Holly Springs Parkway Widening Project which will increase road infrastructure close to Interstate 575. To help address our reputation and some of the misinformation available on social media, I volunteered to the Council representative for the Rebranding Steering Committee. It is a project that I truly believe in and am thrilled to be working with the professionals at the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government as we aim to make Holly Springs not just a blip on the map, but a destination for residents and visitors to eat great food, relax with their friends and family on the town center green, shop at some unique locally-owned stores, and enjoy special events hosted by the City.