TJ Cawley, Morrisville Mayor

Name as it appears on the ballot: TJ Cawley

Age: 55

Party affiliation: Democrat

Occupation & employer: Mayor, Town of Morrisville

Years lived in Morrisville: 14

1) In 300 words or less, please give us—and our readers—your elevator pitch: Why are you running? Why should voters entrust you with this position? What are your priorities, and what would you want to see the town council do differently or better over the course of your term?

I am running on my record of success as Mayor for four years, preceded by four years on the Morrisville Town Council. During my tenure in office, Morrisville established its first strategic plan and was recognized as the 10th best place to live in America and best place to live in North Carolina (Money Magazine). Our collaborative partnerships and proactive community engagement earned Morrisville the honor of All-America City (National Civic League). These past four years have demonstrated how a town can flourish with an experienced, thoughtful, proven leader who is a public servant and a full-time Mayor.

My top 3 priorities are transportation and mobility, environmental protection and managing growth.

I’m leading efforts for our Town Council to be more collaborative, transparent and responsive to our residents. We can do amazing things when we don’t worry about who gets the credit.

2) Given the direction of Morrisville government, would you say things are on the right course? If not, for what specific changes will you advocate if elected?

Morrisville is moving in the right direction as evidenced by our being named the best place to live in North Carolina — and tenth-best in the nation — by Money Magazine. We’ve established our first strategic plan, we have a plan for a vibrant new Town Center and we’ve established regional collaborations that benefit our residents.

There’s always room for improvement, and I will continue to lead efforts to increase our park land and open space, ensure that people can walk or bicycle safely throughout our town and be recognized as a leader in sustainable growth.

3) What are three of the most pressing issues the town currently faces? How would you propose to address them? Please be specific.

My top 3 priorities are transportation and mobility, environmental protection and managing growth.

Beyond roadway improvements, which are important, we must increase our investment in alternative forms of transportation, including buses, commuter rail and bicycle and pedestrian amenities.

I intend to implement sustainability measures, such as updating the town’s vehicle fleet to hybrids, increasing the number of electric vehicle charging stations at public facilities and installing solar panels on municipal buildings. Under my leadership, Morrisville has hired a new Sustainability Director and we have a new focus on becoming carbon neutral

As Money Magazine’s 10th-best place to live in America, Morrisville will continue to attract new residents. I encourage a well-balanced housing inventory to meet the needs of current and future residents and I support our residents’ clearly stated priority to maintain and improve our infrastructure to support growth. I support targeted density in appropriate locations while maintaining and improving our quality of life. I am a champion for open space preservation.

4) What’s the best or most important thing the town council has done in the past year? Alternatively, name a decision you believe the council got wrong or an issue you believe the town should have handled differently. Please explain your answer.

Safeguarding the health and safety of our residents has been the most challenging and most important thing I have done as a bold leader this past year. As a member of the Board of Directors of the National League of Cities I was in Washington, DC at the White House being briefed on federal COVID-19 response and guidance when the pandemic began. I quickly returned to Morrisville in order to lead our response. As the President of the 12 member Wake County Mayors Association I had the additional responsibility to guide and facilitate the discussions and decisions made by that group in collaboration with Wake County Health and Human Services and then Wake County Chair Greg Ford. From then until now I have convened the stakeholders, subject matter experts and facilitated the sharing of information from our health systems with fellow council members, staff, mayors, residents and our business community. Under my leadership our town was proactive and effective, and continues to work diligently every day, in combating this ongoing crisis and through the strong, collaborative relationship I have built at all levels of government Wake County is one of the leaders in containing the pandemic. Through my ongoing advocacy and relationships with National League of Cities and Congresswoman Deborah Ross and Congressman David Price, both of whom have endorsed my re-election, Morrisville will be receiving $8.5 million dollars as part of the American Rescue Plan Act. I am proud of our staff and especially our first responders who from the very start were there for us when we needed them most and continue to keep us safe 24/7/365.

5) What prior experience will make you an effective member of the town council and advocate of the issues listed above? Please note any endorsements you have received that you consider significant.

I am honored to have broad support not only in Morrisville, but throughout our region and state. I have served as Morrisville Mayor, 2017 – present; Morrisville Town Council, 2013 – 2017; Wake County Mayors Association, President; National League of Cities, Board of Directors; Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), Executive Board; Triangle J Council of Governments, Water Resources Committee Chair; and with several other local and regional organizations.

I am honored to have the endorsements of political leaders at all levels of government, including US Rep. Deborah Ross; US Rep. David Price; NC Senator Wiley Nickel; NC Representatives James Roberson, Julie von Heaven and Allison Dahl; Wake County Commissioners Matt Calabria, Vickie Adamson, Maria Cervania, James West and former Commissioner Greg Ford; Wake County School Board members Dr. Jim Martin and Lindsay Mahaffey; Kinston Mayor Don Hardy; Morrisville Town Council member Donna Fender and former members Steve Diehl and Pete Martin; Cary Town Council member Ya Liu and Apex Town Council members Audra Killingsworth and Terry Mahaffey.

I’m also humbled to have the endorsements of a growing number of community leaders and Morrisville citizens listed on my website.

6) Morrisville recently altered its zoning laws to allow for denser development. Do you agree with this decision? Given the rate of growth in Morrisville, how will you ensure that growth is well managed and enhances the town rather than detracts from it? Where does density and height fit in in planning decisions, if it does? How do you intend to balance growth with sustainability?

As Money Magazine’s 10th-best place to live in America, Morrisville will continue to attract new residents. I encourage a well-balanced housing inventory to meet the needs of ALL of our current and future residents and I support our citizens’ clearly stated priority to maintain and improve our infrastructure to support growth.

I support targeted density in appropriate locations while maintaining and improving our quality of life. I am a champion for open space preservation.

7) As with most places in the Triangle, Morrisville is grappling with issues related to affordable housing. How would you like to see the town approach affordability issues over the next few years? Should it promote apartment living, duplexes, and/or triplexes? Encourage density in single family housing? What do you believe the town is doing right? What could it do better?

I believe that development decisions are best made at the local level and municipalities should have the authority to ensure that a sufficient inventory of affordable housing is available. I encourage a well-balanced housing inventory to meet the needs of ALL of our current and future residents and that must include a sufficient affordable housing component. This is especially important in our current environment of high growth and rapid housing price increases.

I support targeted density that provides affordable housing. I oppose redevelopment that would result in a net loss of existing affordable housing. I would support legislation to enable municipalities to require developers to provide a certain percentage of affordable housing for larger-scale new residential developments.

I have consistently advocated on multiple occasions to dedicate staff time and funding toward implementing our adopted affordable housing plan, I know our residents are disappointed when government expends time and energy to study a problem, come up with a solution but then fail to fund, I continue to support and advocate implementing our plan rather than allowing it to gather dust on the shelf.

When it comes to upzoning requests I always ask myself : Does it serve the public interest?

Sure, there are lots of legal and technical considerations such as land use, density, aesthetics, infrastructure improvements, and so on, but above all, we must consider whether a rezoning serves the public good.

In the end it is really not complicated: Part of being leader and demonstrating commitment to the values you share with the residents is to say no to development applications which harm our quality of life rather than contribute to it. More often than not our residents have asked us to preserve our trees and aspire to have more parks and open space, I have listened and voted time and time again to represent their wishes. And I would continue to do so if they chose me to represent their wishes for another four years as I have done so for the last eight years as their voice on the council.

8) Morrisville has three bond referendum questions on the ballot this election that, if all pass, will incur a 3-cent property tax rate increase on the $37 million total. Please state whether you support the following bonds and explain why or not.

$8 million Public Safety Improvements

Yes. Public safety is of utmost importance.

$17.3 million Parks, Recreations, and Public Amenities Improvements

Yes. A recent study showed that we need more than 100 acres of new park land and our citizens have made it clear that they value parks and recreation amenities.

$11.7 million Streets, Sidewalks, and Connectivity Improvements

Yes. Roadway improvements must continue, and I want everyone in Morrisville to be able to walk or bicycle safely from anywhere to anywhere in town.

8) Morrisville is about to get its first public transit system with the launch of a free new on-demand shuttle. How else should the town grow its public transit system? How should it work to alleviate traffic congestion?

Beyond roadway improvements, which are important, we must increase our investment in alternative forms of transportation, including buses, commuter rail and bicycle and pedestrian amenities.

9) What infrastructure needs does Morrisville currently have? How should the city address these needs and pay for them?

As the 10th-best place to live in America (according to Money Magazine), Morrisville will continue to attract new residents. As an elected official, I feel it’s important to listen and act when our residents state clearly that our infrastructure — water, sewer, roads, public transportation, schools and recreational amenities — must be able to accommodate that growth.

We need to ensure that those who benefit from Morrisville’s growth, including development interests, are paying their fair share.

Under my leadership these past four years we have accomplished a great deal. We’ve completed the McCrimmon Parkway Extension, Morrisville Parkway Grade Separation, Parkside Valley Drive intersection Improvements and Crabtree Hatcher Creek Greenway and I will facilitate the completion of more road widening and intersection improvements, such as Morrisville-Carpenter Road, Aviation Parkway, Davis Drive, Airport Boulevard and Chapel Hill Road; and expand our sidewalk and greenway network.

Beyond roadway improvements, which are important, we must increase our investment in alternative forms of transportation, including buses, commuter rail and bicycle and pedestrian amenities.

Above all it is incumbent upon us to be truly representative of our residents stated desire to manage growth more responsibly, we cannot take two steps forward with investments in infrastructure and then follow it with approval of more density which takes us back one step.

Our bond package, when passed by the voters on November 2^nd, will go a long way toward helping us as a town to make inroads to address the challenges of the infrastructure deficits I inherited when I was elected to the council in 2013. If past leaders had been proactive or had a strategic plan we would have kept up with our needs associated with our exceptional growth, thankfully we are now demonstrating the leadership and political will necessary to both preserve and enhance the quality of life for our residents.

10) Morrisville was one of several municipalities in joining Wake County in reimplementing a mask mandate recently with the resurgence of the COVID-19 Delta variant. Was this the right decision? How do you feel Wake County and Wake School Board officials have handled the COVID-19 pandemic? If you don’t think the pandemic was handled well, what should have been done differently?

I lead the Wake County Mayors Association and as a result of my leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, I was appointed to a second term as president of that association. I have worked tirelessly and collaboratively with Wake County and area health providers to take the steps necessary to put COVID behind us.

Our best experts advised that masks are an effective way to slow the spread of the coronavirus, including the delta variant, and I fully support Morrisville’s decision — unanimously backed by our Town Council — to require masks indoors.

The Wake County School Board members have one of the toughest jobs among local officials, and I support them and believe that their response to the pandemic has been appropriate.

11) In what ways should Morrisville promote economic development? How do plans for a downtown corridor factor into those ways (if so)?

Morrisville is the best place to live in North Carolina, according to Money Magazine, and people and businesses want to come here. That brings growth and jobs that spur economic development.

Our new Town Center will become a “destination,” – a thriving, pedestrian friendly, walkable development that connects our existing neighborhoods in the Town Center corridor and brings residents and visitors together to eat, shop, and enjoy time together. It will further enhance economic development by attracting residents, visitors, and businesses to Morrisville.

12) Morrisville residents love their parks and greenways. How should the town work to preserve, improve, or expand them?

I will advocate for acquiring additional land for open space preservations in Morrisville. I continue to be a champion for connecting our greenway and sidewalk networks. My goal is for every family to be able to walk or ride their bikes safely from anywhere to anywhere in Morrisville. We have plans in place, and I will continue to invest to make those connections sooner rather than later.

13) If there is anything else you would like to address please do so here.

In the past four years since the residents chose me as their Mayor, the town of Morrisville has evolved from a place with leadership who says the right things to an innovative, motivated and empowered team who actually does the right things. The results have been amazing. We are an All-America City and Morrisville is the 10th best place to live in all of America. Think about that for a minute. There are over 19,000 cities, towns and villages in America and we are number 10.

These past four years have demonstrated how a town can flourish with a strong, bold, collaborative, experienced, thoughtful leader who is a proven public servant and a full-time Mayor. We have accomplished more in the past four years than in the previous 16, for that I am very proud.

I don’t think any of us can imagine anything as challenging as guiding a town and helping to guide the Mayors of the largest county in North Carolina, through the worst pandemic in a century. If you seek to have a proven leader safeguarding the health and safety of your family and preserving your quality of life you need look no further. I have led, and continue to lead, our town through the most dangerous health crisis in our lifetimes and helped our town and its exceptional residents come out the other side stronger, more supportive of each other and more resilient than ever.

I listen, I’m passionate and I get things done. Talk is cheap; actions and results speak louder than words.

In short, we’re getting things done under my leadership. I look forward to the next four years when we will continue to actually get things done.

I’m Mayor TJ Cawley, and I would appreciate your support and your vote November 2.

My website is www.MayorTJ.com and my social media accounts all share the same handle which is @MSVMayorTJ

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