A Message and pledge from Charlie Wallin, candidate for Watauga County Commission to the communities & families of Cove Creek • Meatcamp • Bald Mountain • North Fork • Laurel Creek
It's Not About Me. It's About Us.
Meet Charlie Wallin
I come from a middleclass family that goes back many generations in Madison County here in the mountains of Western NC. I’m a proud member of a family of educators and hard-working farmers.
I moved to Watauga County at the age of 18 and have lived in the Meat Camp community for 34 years. I wasn’t born holding a silver spoon and had to work hard for success in life. I have worked in the private sector at Pizza Hut for 8 years and for the last 26 years as an employee at Appalachian State, currently as the Director of Retail Dining. I have worked hands-on to bridge the gap between many ASU departments and to achieve proven results that help lift up and encourage other local employees.
I am a husband and father to a beautiful wife and daughter who have worked to make our community better through hard work and dedication. Together we have been active with County schools and local nonprofit organizations and supported our local school system with our time and resources.
Church has served an important role in my life since the day I was born, and my wife and I wanted that same experience and commitment for our daughter. Together we are proud, active members of Grace Lutheran Church. I have served on the Church Council and have served as an usher and Assisting Minister as well as completed two terms as council President.
We live in a wonderful County, but we have a long way to go address critical affordable housing needs and challenging development issues for the families who live and work in our communities. I believe in community service and want to do what I can to enhance the lives of the working people of Watauga County. And I believe that my service with courage, selflessness and honesty can make all our lives better.
We’re all in this Together.
- Watauga County is experiencing a very high growth rate, where now even traveling to get groceries or see a doctor is complicated by maxed out traffic and lack of parking. These problems are the direct result of Raleigh legislators mandating bigger and bigger increases in ASU’s enrollments and other dictates put on us from Raleigh. Trying to control Watauga from Raleigh is not working, and it’s not fair. While the County Commissioners have little power to address these problems, we should resist attempts by those who don’t even live here to control Watauga from Raleigh.
- Almost 1/3 of all County homes now are vacation homes. It is critical that we find ways to ensure that those of us who live and work here can afford to keep our homes or afford to buy or rent a place for our families to live. We also need to continue commitments of funds to help low-income local homeowners have access to much needed home repairs.
- We need full support of our public schools and Caldwell Community College. The opportunity of the best education we can provide to our children will determine their success for the rest of their lives. In addition to improvements at Green Valley school, we need to continue to set aside the funds to add classroom space to Parkway School and to solve the problems of a cramped Harden Park school.
- We need to develop a 5 year plan to ensure all areas of the County have proper Ambulance Coverage and complete the Ambulance base and 911 Center for Deep Gap and Meat Camp communities. We also need to continue improve our Fire services, Sheriff’s Department and Emergency Management.
I am a successful leader with a proven history of getting things done for this community and want to continue my service to the citizens of Watauga County. There are unfinished and pressing needs in the county, and I have the determination and commitment to get them done on your behalf.