SURF CITY — William (Buddy) Fowler is running for reelection to Surf City Town Council. He’s served on the board since 2004 and is up against five other candidates this year for three open positions.
A Democrat, Fowler is retired and brings previous knowledge to the position from working in public administration and municipal government.
PCD asked candidates to address issues pertinent to their municipalities, covering issues such as balancing growth and infrastructure, traffic and tourism, and climate change impacts. Fowler’s answers are included in full; responses are edited only for grammar, spelling and clarity.
The paywall has been dropped on candidate questionnaires to help voters make informed decisions ahead of Election Day.
To prepare, here are a few dates for readers to keep in mind:
- Absentee ballots can be requested through Oct. 31 and must be returned Nov. 7 (or post-marked as such).
- Registration to vote will be open until Oct. 13; afterward, according to the state board of elections, same-day registration will be available only during one-stop early voting.
- Early voting begins Oct. 19 and remains open through Nov. 4 (3 p.m.).
- Election Day polls open Nov. 7, 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
In Pender County, voters can cast ballots early at the Pender County Cooperative Extension Auditorium (in lieu of the Board of Elections) at 801 S. Walker St. in Burgaw, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Once early voting closes, voters will need to go to the location listed on their registration cards, verified here.
To see a sample ballot for the upcoming election, fill in voter registration info here.
A photo ID is required to cast a ballot in 2023; more information can be found on the state board of elections website.
The candidate’s opinions and statements are not a reflection of Port City Daily.
Port City Daily (PCD): Why re-run for council now?
Buddy Fowler (BF): A desire to help people and community.
PCD: Name three issues you think are most affecting the city currently and describe how you would work toward tackling them.
BF: Traffic, stormwater runoff, sidewalks and roads. We need to coordinate with DOT about our issues with traffic congestion to help come up with solutions.
Working on solutions to help with stormwater by use of underground pitts to drain water from roads.
Prioritize our sidewalk needs in our master plan.
PCD: I know in the past the town has turned down development applications for lack of sewer capacity. How do you plan to balance needed growth with adequate infrastructure as the town continues to attract more residents?
BF: We have secured funding help from the state to upgrade our wastewater facilities and look forward to completing it which will help with our sewer capacity.
PCD: The beach town is working through the process of federal beach renourishment. Do you agree with spending the nearly $20 million needed for the project? Do you think a different approach should have been taken?
BF: Yes, our family-friendly beach is our drawing card. Realizing this, we have made it a priority to work toward having an engineered beach. This has been a part of our master plan to help keep our beach renourished, by maximizing state and federal funding. The USACE will start this process in 2024 and we will have renourished engineered beach going forward.
PCD: Surf City is in the midst of updating its zoning ordinances. What changes do you think need to be made, if any, and why?
BF: Our zoning ordinances are adequate/sufficient and are updated on a yearly basis as needed.
PCD: The town is working on an engineering study to address stormwater issues on the island. What do you think should be done to mitigate flooding?
BF: The use of underground storage pits and reduce stormwater runoff.
PCD: There were unfortunately a few drownings along Surf City’s beaches this past year but no lifeguards. Do you think Surf City should consider funding lifeguards during summer months or other water safety programs to increase protection for beachgoers?
BF: We have beach patrols and are putting lifesaving equipment at all of our beach accesses, plus we have the flag warning of ocean conditions at the beach access. Safety is a priority.
Have comments or tips? Email info@portcitydaily.com
Want to read more from PCD? Subscribe now and then sign up for our morning newsletter, Wilmington Wire, and get the headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.
