SOUTHPORT — The election in Southport includes three seats up for grabs on the board of alderman: two in ward 1 and one in ward 2. Bonnie Bray, former town finance director, is hoping to be elected to ward 2.
Though the council is a nonpartisan race, Bray is affiliated with the Democratic Party and is running against Paul Gross (R) and Nelson E. Adams (D). David Geary and Katie Boyd filed to run but have since dropped from the race.
Bray has never served in an elected position, but she ran for office in 2023 as well.
“My perspective is unique among the current candidates for this office as it is gained from over 20 years as the chief financial officer of North Carolina and Maryland local governments and two years consulting for the NC League of Municipalities,” Bray said. “I want to dedicate that knowledge to ensuring Southport is equipped to meet the challenges it faces. I also want to contribute my non-governmental insight — nine years as a small business owner, eight years volunteering for Southport non-profit organizations, and 15 years as a resident of Southport neighborhoods — to supporting and expanding the conversation around issues we experience as a community.”
A few things to consider this election season:
- A valid ID is required to cast ballot in North Carolina
- Election Day is Nov. 4, 2025, with voters required to go to their assigned precinct locations
- Early voting opens Oct. 16 and closes Nov. 1, and voters can cast a ballot at the Cooperative Extension Training Room, 25 Referendum Drive, Building N, Bolivia. See the hours here.
Anyone who wants to register to vote can do so here through Oct. 10 or register and vote in one stop during early voting
Port City Daily asked all candidates a slate of questions about topics that are tracking high with voters and residents of Southport currently. Bray’s answers have been edited below for clarity; candidate opinions and statements are not a reflection of Port City Daily. The paywall has been dropped on candidate profiles to help voters make informed decisions ahead of the election.
Port City Daily: Why run for office now?
Bonnie Bray: I am running for alderman for reasons grounded in my commitment to Southport’s well-being. Two personal attributes distinguish me from the other ward 2 candidates and provide a basis for my wanting to participate in this way, at this time.
I have a deep background in managing the fiscal resources of local governments in towns the same size as Southport. I believe Southport is suffering from a lack of financial wisdom and needs the kind of practical insight I bring to the table.
I have also participated in a wide variety of volunteer positions in Southport. This experience has given me a unique perspective on the depth and breadth of our non-governmental civic activities that is only fully realized in collaboration with other volunteers working on behalf of the public good. City leadership needs to bring these important stakeholders to the table, not struggle to keep them away.
I ran for this same elected office in 2023 and was the campaign treasurer for a statewide candidate from 2023-2024. I have also been appointed by the Southport Board of Aldermen to two positions that are part of the city’s political establishment: the Southport Beautification Committee, which I chaired from 2019-2021, and the Southport Historic Preservation Commission, on which I currently serve as vice chair..
PCD: There have been concerns about the long-term fiscal health of the city, as seen earlier in the year when a potential $1.4 million budget deficit was discussed — this was after a 12.7% tax rate increase in FY 2024-2025. Though Southport avoided a tax hike this year and managed the budget, how do you envision the city being more financially stable in the future and what would you like to implement to make this happen?
BB: There’s a large story about Southport’s property tax rates that is not yet being told during this election cycle. From 2018 through 2022, the tax rate was a steady 29.5 cents per $100 of home value for five years running. In an effort to start funding badly needed capital projects in 2023, the tax rate was increased by 33.8% to 39.5 cents per $100. Home values were re-assessed in 2024 and the tax rate decreased accordingly, to 27.5 cents per $100, a reduction of 30.5%. The 2025 tax rate of 31.0 cents per hundred was, in fact, an increase of 12.7% over 2024; but, as noted in the question, was not raised again in 2016.
Viewed from this longer time frame, from 2018 to 2026, the tax rate has only increased 1.5 cents per $100, from 29.5 cents per $100 to 31.0 cents per $100. The main reason the property taxes paid by homeowners have increased during this time period is because homeowner’s property values have almost doubled in the interim — the amount the tax rate is applied to is much more in 2026 than it was in 2018. And we should keep in mind that one penny of the tax rate per $100 is dedicated every year to the city’s capital improvement plan, setting funds aside so that the city is able to pay for needed capital improvements.
Addressing the city’s long-term fiscal health involves taking a close look at several different factors. We should analyze the effects of incrementally increasing tax rates by small fractions of cents per $100 every year to keep up with inflation, continually assess cost/benefit spending relationships to determine if we are getting the right bang for the buck, lobby our representatives in Raleigh to update the sales tax distribution rate to better reflect Southport’s higher retail receipts, apply for more grants, and search for permanent new revenue streams.
PCD: Southport aldermen broached discussions this year about a paid parking program, though eventually tabled it. Where do you stand on paid parking in the city — for or against?
BB: I am not supportive of paid parking in downtown Southport for two main reasons. It would be a great burden to the businesses located there because of the inconvenience to their customers and employees; and the number of signs required for enforcement notification would clutter up the streetscape and claim already limited adjacent pedestrian space. At this point, more research needs to be done on the totality of needs related to traffic management downtown and a more realistic solution found.
PCD: The Southport Historic District Overlay has received backlash from some, while others have expressed it’s long overdue; do you support the design standards that the Historic Preservation Commission has been working on this year and would you be in favor of adopting them — why or why not?
BB: As a member of the Southport Historic Preservation Commission since 2022, I am in favor of the design standards as amended because of the damage that will continue to occur in the historic district without their approval. With no standards currently in place, the city has no legal zoning authority to prevent historic properties from being bulldozed, to prevent the construction of modernized buildings erected in historic neighborhoods, or to prevent renovations to existing structures that alter their historic character.
Southport residents and visitors place great store in our city’s historic charm. A majority of historic district property owners are responsible for this attraction because they are excellent stewards of their holdings. The proposed amended design standards will honor their dedication and prevent new owners from intrusive actions that negate these well-established norms.
PCD: Many are concerned about rapid development taking place in the area and disrupting the small-town feel and values of the community, as well as straining public services. What are some actions you would support to ensure future development is strategically managed to protect the community character and serve the public’s best interests? Also, how do you envision balancing green space and development?
BB: Although Southport is directly affected by growth outside our city limits, we historically have had very little influence on the external powers that be, i.e. Brunswick County officials and legislators in Raleigh. That said, we must continue to assert our authority when applicable and increase our efforts when ignored.
Removal of Southport’s extra-territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) last year and recent threats of de-annexations represent a particularly abrupt decline in our autonomy imposed by Raleigh. To minimize further intrusions, Southport’s elected officials will need to expand relationships with our state representatives, not lessen their involvement, and claim our seat at the bargaining table.
County citizens are individually trying to combat the rampant growth forced upon all of us due to lax zoning laws that have increased flooding, strained transportation and existing resources, and caused environmental damage. Similarly, our business before the county commissioners in Bolivia would be maximized by working directly with these residents of homeowner associations along the 211 corridor. As Brunswick County’s “downtown” directly serving five municipalities in the 28461 zip code, as well as with Oak Island and Caswell Beach, Southport also has an opportunity to join forces with our cities and towns to create an organizing force with a very loud voice.
Regarding the balance of green space and development, the board of aldermen recently approved a new comprehensive master plan, which will be instrumental to guiding Southport’s land use and development for the next 25 years. It provides a much-needed update to the existing 2014 plan (amended 2020), reiterating our five core values:
- Preserve the city’s historic character
- Protect the city’s shoreline vista
- Support the city’s central business district
- Preserve the city’s residential areas
- Protect the city’s area of environmental concern
This plan is aligned with the Coastal Area Management Act applicable to all coastal communities statewide. It is also congruent with the city’s 2023-2028 Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan, as well as the buildout analysis completed for Southport by the Cape Fear Council of Governments in 2023, the city’s Urban Forestry Management Plan and the Comprehensive Pedestrian Transportation Plan. Add these comprehensive guidelines to the currently ongoing waterfront stabilization efforts and pending historic district plan approval and we have a very handy blueprint to follow.
PCD: What are the top three infrastructure projects you want to address immediately for Southport, why and how?
BB: Stormwater management, traffic congestion, and road improvements are top of my list for attention. The challenges we face from these big issues are exacerbated by Brunswick County’s explosive growth rate, which brings tens of thousands of visitors to Southport in search of its quaint, downtown charm but does not contribute to upkeep. Our challenge involves balancing the need to fund ongoing advancements without starving the parts of the public treasury that pay for other vital services and finding other sources of funding to get the job done more quickly.
Southport elected officials in the previous administration established a six-year capital improvement program funded by an annual appropriation of one penny of the city’s 31-cent property tax rate. This important dedication is independent of ongoing expenditures for road improvements, storm water management measures, work funded by the electric fund to bury overhead electric lines, and funding for waterfront stabilization. In addition to a separate infrastructure need I propose in question #9, I support all these improvements and pledge my time and attention to organized completion.
PCD: Transparency has been a hot topic in Southport, not only raised among constituents but also by members of some aldermen-appointed boards, with assertions of back-door dealings and lack of accountability when it comes to elected members. Do you find this to be an issue; explain? What will you do to facilitate and build trust with those who have elected you?
BB: The lack of transparency regularly exhibited by a majority of elected officials in the current administration is of grave concern. All these candidates pledged allegiance to transparency’s virtues during the 2023 election cycle, but there is no evidence yet of any meaningful attempts to honor their promises until they are exposed by our local media. It is very disheartening to the average concerned citizen and extremely frustrating to volunteer members of alderman-appointed boards, who often fall victim to these, by now rampant, double dealings.
If the incumbent Ward 1 candidates for alderman and the former mayor prevail, the current election will turn the tide. All three have demonstrated the strength of their belief in the tenets of leadership and good governance, which include putting the public good before private interest. I will abide by these standards, as well, from the dais, if elected; or from the public comment podium, if not. We are too precious a community to be forced to settle for less than fairness and honesty from our legislators.
PCD: What is one other issue not discussed above that you have a plan to address if elected and how would you do so?
BB: I will advocate for a new police headquarters building to accommodate expected growth in the number of officers and staff over the next 40 years. This would be on a par with projected needs guiding the construction of Southport’s fire headquarters in 2010. The city has already started plans to relocate the police department to our historic old courthouse and former city hall after it undergoes extensive and expensive renovations; but studies have shown the department will outgrow the space in less than 10 years. A new building would better serve the officers and the community for approximately the same price.
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