A Strong Start to Our New Work Session Format
Last night marked an exciting milestone for the Waxhaw Board of Commissioners as we held the first work session under our new meeting schedule for the year. Instead of two regular meetings each month, the board will now hold one regular meeting and one dedicated work session. It was gratifying to be able to bring greater transparency to our town via this fresh format, especially as this was one of our first priorities when first elected.
By meeting on the main floor and sitting together around the table, work sessions are designed to encourage collaboration—both with town staff and among commissioners. Facing one another makes discussion more natural, more thorough, and ultimately more productive. It was a great way to start the year.
Setting Clear Priorities for Our State Legislators
Our first major discussion focused on identifying priorities to take to our state legislators. The board was united that restoring local down-zoning authority must remain our top legislative priority.
When it came to capital projects, we worked together to prioritize initiatives that matter most to residents, including:
- Downtown pedestrian improvements
- Skate park restoration
- Rehabilitation of the historic bridge
- Safety upgrades at Nesbit Park
- New police vehicles
Debra Conrad, who represents Waxhaw at the state level, had offered helpful guidance. At our breakfast with legislators Todd Johnson and David Willis last week, she mentioned that projects related to children and public safety tend to resonate most with legislators. She also advised that road improvements are generally funded through separate channels, making them less effective to pursue legislatively.
Helms Road Extension: A Project We Fully Support
The board then discussed the Helms Road Extension project, which will ultimately connect NC-16 and NC-75 and include an overpass over the railroad tracks. This is a major long-term infrastructure improvement, and the board is fully supportive.
While much of the funding has already been set aside, our town manager emphasized the importance of continuing to allocate funds over time so Waxhaw is fiscally prepared when construction begins. Thoughtful planning now will help avoid financial strain later.
Native Trees and Stronger Procedures
We also affirmed the addition of native tree requirements to Waxhaw’s Land Development Code, reinforcing our commitment to responsible growth and environmental stewardship.
Next, the board reviewed updates to our Rules of Procedure, which had not been revised in several years. Our attorney made necessary updates to accommodate the new work session format, along with general formatting and wording improvements. One particularly positive addition was a new “Board Response” item following public comments during regular meetings. This will allow the Mayor to ask commissioners if they wish to respond to comments or questions right away—an important step toward stronger public engagement and clearer communication.
Looking Ahead
Finally, we revisited and prioritized a list of initiatives previously brought forward by Commissioner Daunt. One item—regularly inviting HOA representatives to attend board meetings—was accidentally missed in the discussion, but the board fully intends to pursue this idea in upcoming meetings and/or retreats.
Click below for the queued-up video of the full discussion:
All in all, this first work session was a productive, collaborative, and encouraging start to the year. The new format is already helping us focus more clearly on priorities, engage more deeply with staff, and work together more effectively on behalf of Waxhaw’s residents.