Cell service, infrastructure, economy main topics at Tryon Council candidate forum – The Tryon Daily Bulletin

TRYON—Tryon residents filled the Depot Plaza on a cool, clear fall evening for a lively forum that introduced five candidates running for two council seats and three candidates for mayor. 

Andy Millard moderated the Oct. 10 forum. He asked candidates the audience-submitted questions which focused on cell phone service, downtown parking, economic development, local ordinances, term limits, and Tropical Storm Helene’s aftermath. 

Millard also informed the audience that Tryon’s election-day polling place will be relocated to Tryon Presbyterian Church on Harmon Field Rd., due to the storm damage at Harmon Field.

Julie Lambakis, Neill Rogers and Nathan Shields are running for the unexpired two-year term on council. Shields did not attend the forum. Of those three, one will be elected. 

Skip Crowe, Tracie Greenway Morris and Steve Nelon are running for a four-year term on council. Of those candidates, two will be elected. Ian Griggs’ name is on the ballot for this seat, however, he announced his withdrawal from the race in September. 

The three candidates for mayor are Doug Arbogast, Mayor Pro Tempore Chrelle Booker, and the incumbent mayor, J. Alan Peoples. 

Cell phone service was on all the candidates’ minds. All mentioned how limitations affect daily life and not just in the aftermath of Helene. Arbogast, Booker, Peoples and Rogers support placing a cell tower in town. Peoples said that the town had a cell tower but it was never working, and that he has been negotiating with Verizon for three years. Nelon, Lambakis and Rogers said that Starlink could be an option. Rogers added that multiple towers are needed. Greenway Morris said the town should investigate options and talk to experts. 

Infrastructure issues, including water and sewer, were discussed at length in relation to planning for future growth and tourism.

Arbogast, Crowe and Lambakis said the town needs to retain Jim Fatland so he can continue to apply for grant money for water and sewer repairs. Peoples said that in the long run the town will need to have municipal bonds to pay for repairs estimated at $15 million. Lambakis agreed with pursuing bonds. Rogers stated that he has seen manhole covers boiling over into the creek, the town has had to pay DEQ fines, and that a local Airbnb had brown water in its pipes. 

Downtown parking issues were also addressed. 

Crowe, Booker, Arbogast, Rogers and Lambakis talked about the possibility of a parking deck. Crowe said it would be “outrageously expensive,” but Lambakis said it could be “aesthetically pleasing” and include more housing and shops. Arbogast said the town could charge to park in a new parking deck on the backside of Tryon, but Rogers said that he would not want visitors to have to pay to park. Booker mentioned a smart city parking app that tells drivers where parking is available.

Peoples, Lambakis, and Rogers said the town needed to utilize parking lots at churches, the school, and Harmon Field, with golf cart shuttles to get people into town. Arbogast said merchants should not use parking spaces in front of their own businesses. Greenway Morris and Lambakis mentioned accessibility issues and making more parking available for seniors with walkers and wheelchairs.  

With a large-scale housing development coming to Landrum, and rails to trails on the horizon for Tryon, the candidates’ thoughts on economic development focused on supporting existing businesses, assessing the community’s input, and planning for the future. 

Lambakis expressed a desire to incentivize veteran-owned businesses. Greenway Morris proposed community input meetings to develop a comprehensive 5-10 year plan and charrettes. Arbogast questioned the status of the Pine Crest Inn, and said that the community needed a hotel or hotels to support tourism and the economy with a “heads in beds” tax. 

Rogers said that the town needs to gather momentum on economic development before the Saluda Grade Trail arrives, and suggested partnering with the county’s economic development team. Crowe said most of Tryon’s businesses are locally-owned and the town needs to cultivate and support private, local entrepreneurs. Booker proposed a public/private task force and neighborhood advisory committees, and emphasized the need for diversity. Peoples proposed a municipal service district that could yield $30,000 to $40,000 a year toward a parking lot and streetlights, an idea supported, he says, by eight businesses so far.

Should Tryon’s businesses be open more days and more hours? All candidates said that it would be ideal, but not enforceable unless codified or stipulated in leases. 

Greenway Morris, Rogers and Lambakis said it would be helpful to talk with business owners and determine what issues drive their hours of operation. Lambakis said that restaurants struggle with staffing issues, and Arbogast said that restaurants could consider sharing part time staff. 

“We need to encourage more young people to come here to help out with the staffing for the restaurants,” Lambakis said.

Should council members and the mayor be term-limited? Peoples, who has served as mayor for 21 years, says no. Crowe, Lambakis, Nelon, Rogers, Arbogast and Booker say yes. Booker proposes forming a youth commission that she said will encourage Tryon’s young people to serve in town leadership positions in the future.  

Regarding the role of law enforcement, candidates agreed that the town’s police department is doing a good job and they support the 20mph restriction on Trade St., especially with reversing out of diagonal parking spaces. 

Arbogast said he’d like to see more visibility of police officers in town. Peoples mentioned that the department has a new officer on staff and another in “the hopper.” Lambakis said the department needs a new fingerprint machine.  

Lastly, the candidates were given a chance to state their top priorities if elected. 

Nelon said his priority would be a cell tower. Greenway Morris said she would focus on infrastructure, transparency and accountability. Crowe said his priorities included addressing infrastructure needs, supporting town employees “who did an unbelievable job the last two weeks,” and starting the planning for rails to trails. Peoples said he would continue working on infrastructure issues. Booker plans to focus on budget and finance stewardship, infrastructure and her proposed youth commission, and added that she would like to become Tryon’s first woman mayor. 

Arbogast stated that he learned from Helene that the town needs “a good communication system in the event of a disaster,” and that all the candidates on stage have Tryon’s best interests in mind. Rogers said that infrastructure, responsible spending of the town’s $5.3 million grant, and transparency are his three goals. In addition to infrastructure, Lambakis said she is for “thoughtful development, and being analytical with our development to get ready for what’s going to be happening over the next few years.”