Candidate Questionnaire: Richard Grant for North Topsail Beach Mayor

1) What 3 changes, if any, would you like to see in the community you will be representing over the next four years?

1. Adopt with input from all Stakeholders a 5 (five) year Strategic Plan with priorities that included implementation of the financial controls to ensure that we are responsible stewards of stakeholders/town resources.

2. Finish permitting and construct the beaches in Phases 1,2 and 3 so that they are “engineered’ beaches and have the same protections as Phase 4 and 5.

3. More open discussions at Alderman meetings and more “forums” with Stakeholders where their issues can be heard.

2) What strategy will you implement to respond to public concerns and criticisms?

Implement the 5 year strategic plan with the necessary financial controls and priorities. By setting priorities and understanding the town's resources we can effectively plan and avoid tax increases. Have more forums with stakeholders. I routinely attend HOA meetings, meet and discuss issues with them and with timely responses to questions. We do not do enough outreach and should not rely on the monthly meetings. Having forums in establishing the strategic plan will allow us to understand our Stakeholders priorities.

3) How do you plan to measure and evaluate your success in office?

The Strategic Plan will lay out the priorities, and will drive the budget process. Each year we will publish a “scorecard” against what we said we were to accomplish and what we did.

4) Can you give an example of how you have supported a community project in the past?

As Town liaison I have rebuilt the Town’s relationship with Onslow County, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars flowing to the Town each year. Onslow County also granted money to Ocean City and has committed over $1.5 million for work on County beach accesses this year

5) What personal or professional experience do you have that makes you qualified to serve your community?

Professionally, I have over 30 years of executive experience, as President and CEO of both international and domestic companies, served on publicly traded and private company boards, and on state, national and international association boards. I’ve appeared as Counsel before the US Department of Energy, testified before the US Senate and spent thousands of hours in Washington DC meeting with senators, congressmen and government officials. In addition, I’ve been a small business owner. I’m both an attorney and a civil engineer.