Name as it appears on the ballot: D. Artemas “Lee” Holden
Full legal name, if different: Dwight Artemas Holden
Date of birth: 05 October 1944
Home address: 307 Bacon Road, Rougemont, NC 27572
Occupation & employer: Simi-Retired – Self Employed
Describe your past leadership roles, both in career and community. How will these experiences help you serve on council? Please be specific about how these roles correspond to a council member’s responsibilities. Have been active in Chambers of Commerce, professional organizations … on many boards of directors, and a small business owner.
How do you define yourself politically? How have you demonstrated this political philosophy in your past achievements and present campaign platform? Conservative, and heavily invested in researching what the responsibilities of what a town needs to do and responsibilities of the town council.
Why should the Rougemont community become an incorporated town? Having a say in our future destiny – the ability to capture tax dollars that are now being spent by the county and state on others.
List the three most important issues facing Rougemont, in order of priority. If elected, how will you address these issues? Please be specific.
Identify a principled stand you might be willing to take if elected that you suspect might cost you some popularity points with voters. The issues of change or no change to the rural environment , whether to have street lights or not and water.
If elected, would you support using Rougemont tax dollars to pay for broader law enforcement coverage by the Durham County Sheriff’s Office? Yes if that is request by the citizens and the funds are available … we need the input of the residents.
Aside from property taxes, what other sources of revenue would you initiate for Rougemont through town council? There is already shared revenues available from the state and county. For every dollar raised by our 5 mill tax we will receive $3.51 in return … plus or minus 10%.
What type of new economic development would you support in Rougemont, and where? If elected, what will you do to bring this development to town? Farmers market, senior center, community building and playground for families and children.
If elected to council, what measures will you take on council to help Rougemont grow with residents and business? Have an open mind and make decision one issue at a time.
Long-range guidelines from the Durham City-County Planning Department indicate that Rougemont should remain largely rural. Do you agree with this long-range plan, and how do you plan to maintain this vision or change it on council? Yes – I agree and no changes would be made without citizen input through town meetings.
How long have you been registered to vote in Durham County? How are you registered? Have you ever changed your party affiliation, and why? Registered summer 2007, was a republican now an independent … because I make decisions based on fact and reason not because I am either a republican or democrat …
