News

McCall to seek re-election to Board of Commissioners seat

Rebecca McCall

By Lightning Reports, Published: December 2, 2021

Citing upcoming projects including sewer service to serve the apple country, completion of the 2045 comprehensive land-use plan and renovation of the now county-owned VFW post at Five Points as a veterans service center, County Commissioner Rebecca McCall announced that she will run for re-election to her District 4 seat next year.

McCall, who is vice chair of the board, won election to the seat in 2018 after the retirement of Tommy Thompson. Like all five commissioners, she is a Republican. Also up for election next year are Chair Bill Lapsley and Commissioner Michael Edney.

"It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the citizens of Henderson County as commissioner these past three years," she said in a news release in which she ticked off numerous achievements of her term. "Despite the intense challenges incurred by Covid-19, we not only survived but far exceeded expectations in managing the county budget. The property tax rate held steady (23rd lowest in NC and 8th lowest of counties over 100,000 in population) as we moved forward with major capital projects. Hendersonville High School renovation and expansion is one year ahead of schedule and currently under budget. Blue Ridge Community College will soon have a new, modernized instructional building with accommodations for specific manufacturing training as well as a new law enforcement training facility. Economic development has grown in areas of both agriculture and industrial manufacturing bringing hundreds of jobs to our county and more on the horizon. And, most recently, the Rails to Trails project, known as Ecusta Trail, became a reality when 19 miles of railway was purchased with construction soon to begin, without spending any Henderson County taxpayer funds.

McCall serves as the County Commission's liaison on the Planning Board and also serves on the Agriculture Advisory Council, N.C. Cooperative Extension Board, Library Trustee Board, Joint County and BRCC Facilities Committee, Transportation Advisory Council, French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization (TAC and MPO), Juvenile Crime Prevention Council and the Historic Courthouse Museum Board. She represents Henderson County and N.C. District 16 on the Board of Directors for North Carolina Association of County Commissioners and was recently invited to participate on the Advisory Board of Commissioners for MyFutureNC. This year she sponsored Henderson County Beautification Program, partnering with NCDOT to clean up litter on roadways, served on a 2019 NC Task Force focused on developing Pathways for Disconnected Youth and then started a Henderson County task force focused on the same for local youth.
"As we move into 2022, there are projects such as the renovation of VFW Post 5206 facility to expand services to veterans as well as services for all Henderson County citizens, creation of sewer services for Edneyville and the completion of the 2045 Comprehensive Plan that lie ahead," she said. "The future of Henderson County is exciting as we find ways to grow while continuing to maintain our small-town traditions."