11/16/04

Sears Elected President of Wake County Mayor's Association

Holly Springs Mayor Dick Sears was elected president of the Wake County Mayor’s Association for the 2005 calendar year at the group’s Nov. 15 meeting. The group of 12 mayors from each municipality in the county meets monthly to discuss a variety of topics affecting both individual towns and the region.

“I was honored to receive the nomination and election and will look forward to working with each and every mayor in Wake County for the next year,” Sears said. “I also would be remiss if I didn’t commend John Byrne, mayor of Fuquay-Varina, for his service and dedication for the last two years.”

Byrne served as president of the association during 2003 and 2004.

Along with Sears, Wake Forest Mayor Vivian Jones was elected 2005 vice president of the association and Knightdale Mayor Doug Boyd was elected 2005 treasurer. Sears has served as vice president of the association for the past two years.

As president, Sears will be responsible for conducting the association’s monthly meetings, arranging for speakers, organizing the association’s summer retreat and other seasonal functions, and communicating information from the meetings to appropriate parties.

Sears said that the association is currently focusing on recycling and looking at ways to raise the percentage of people who recycle in Wake County . He added that the landfill was another topic under recent discussion. Sears said that the group discusses a variety of other issues as they relate to each municipality.

“There is no subject that somebody can’t bring up during these meetings,” Sears said. “They’re open meetings, not terribly formal, and obviously that gives us the opportunity to get to know each other much better and to share ideas and questions with other towns.

“My personal opinion is that our 12 mayors represent a very cohesive and cooperative group of men and women,” he added.

Sears said that his primary focus as president will be “to continue the process of working together as a county for the good of each and every municipality and to further strengthen the role that this group has to play within our county and state.”

In addition to his involvement with the Wake County Mayor’s Association, Sears also serves on the Wake County Human Services Board and the Southern Regional Network Community Advisory Committee, is a committee chair on the 10 Year Plan for Wake County, and is a member of both the Wake County Human Services Regional Planning Committee and the Wake County Transportation Advisory Board, in addition to his involvement in a number of local civic organizations.

“I think this honor of being elected president of the Wake County Mayor’s Association reflects very favorably on the Town of Holy Springs, its Town staff, its Town Council and its citizens,” Sears said.

Town of Holly Springs - PO Box 8 - 128 South Main Street - Holly Springs, NC 27540 - (919) 552-6221 - Holly.Springs@hollyspringsnc.us