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Chris Sheffield for Town Council of Sparta NC, 247 Hill Street, Sparta, NC (2026)

10/25/2023

Looking forward to seeing everyone tonight at the library! I thank you for caring enough for your community to attend tonight's forum, whether in person or virtual, so that you can hear the candidates views and make your decision on who best represents your interests.

Please excuse me if you catch me yawning, 6:30pm is getting pretty close to my bedtime 🤣. I have also contracted Lyme's Disease this week, so the antibiotics are taking there toll on me as well.

I look forward to hearing tonight's questions and the responses of all the candidates attending.

I promise to be honest and forthcoming with my answers to tonight's questions. I may not have a solid answer to every question, but I will try to share my logic and reasoning that will be behind my ultimate decision. I have a lot to learn about being a Town Council member if elected, but I am up to the task and I will be diligent in my duty to you and the Town of Sparta.

10/17/2023

Thank you all for your comments over the past few days.

Town residents, I look forward to seeing you all at the Library, October 25th at 6:30pm for Sparta Town Council Candidate Forum.

Please feel free to PM me with any questions you may want to ask. If you would like to meet in person and have a conversation, let me know and we will find a time and place to meet and chat.

I look forward to getting know you all in the future.

10/16/2023

I believe that I need to come forth and tell you what my long term vision for Sparta looks like and just what I want to change.

Let's start with change...

More youth and young adult focused recreational areas or businesses. What needs to happen to reopen the bowling alley? I have heard mention of reopening a drive-in, that is one thing that would bring uniqueness to our town! Anything that will give our youth a place to gather, have fun, and enjoy their youth while hopefully expanding their horizons and keeping out of trouble.

I would like to see vacant buildings along Main Street filled with som**hing. Can't wait to see the new Mis Arados in the old steakhouse building!! 💕

I believe we need to take a hard look at the viability of each special event the town puts on. If we can only attract 200-300 people to an event that requires closing Main Street, is it even worth closing Main Street?

Eventually I would like to see a sidewalk along Hwy 18 South. Many people must walk that road, and with all the big trucks and general traffic, it's just not safe for them or motorists. If not a sidewalk, maybe a Greenway trail connecting that area to Main Street. I have always loved Greenway trails, what a great way to see nature and get some exercise

More than anything, I would like to see us maintain what we already have in a timely fashion. One example is Crouse Park, where a lot of money has been spent on upgrades through grants, private support, and government funding. During a walk around Crouse Park this morning, I found a broken pole from the playground equipment laying in the grass, an electrical outlet in need of repair, water fountain missing it's maintenance cover, and all the dog p**p bag dispensers were empty. I have slightly obnoxious German Shepherds, so I usually frequent Veterans Park more than Crouse Park, so these may be new issues. But regardless, we should be diligent in identify and fixing problem as they arise.

I am not looking to bring about a lot of physical change to Sparta. I am looking more into developing the community and bringing all of us together to work towards a common goal of building an outstanding community. The town needs to support the county and vice-versa. Together we will be stronger, Trojan Strong!!

So onto my long term vision of Sparta...

I would like to see acceptance for all residents and business owners. We can have differing views and still work together for the greater good of our community and children.

I would like to develop our special events to reach a wider audience. If we are going to close down Main Street for any event, I want to see it full of all our residents of all ages with involvement of our local youth in the actual ex*****on of the event. Allow our children to learn how to work by volunteering their time to fundraise for som**hing they love. If I saw the entire baseball team out selling"I Love Sparta" buttons for $10 at Music on Main, I believe I would buy one just to support them and applaud their effort.

I want to see locals and Flatlanders (😂) working side by side to support their community.

I want to stabilize our town's financial security and maintain operations within a reasonable budget. Possibly resulting lessened taxes.

I want to see all of our business flourishing and being able to offer competitive pay to employees.

I want to see locals residents supporting local shops and businesses. And in return I want to see the local shops and businesses supporting the local residents.

I want to see the community lift up those in need and help them regain their footing in life. I have seen this already!

I want our community to be proactive in the fight against drugs. Only through education and awareness can we hope to keep our youth away from this path. If we can reroute just one young adult away from trying m**h, crack, ..., we have succeeded.

I want to see more youth being entrepreneurial like the Piney Creek youth selling freeze dried candies. What a phenomenal idea and ex*****on!

I want to see State Championship flags for our Trojan teams because our community came together and offered support for all of our rec league sports and developed some great athletes.

I never want to see a Walmart, or any big box retailer for that matter, get any closer to Sparta than they already are!!

I would like to see a ride share system like a localized Uber, where people in need of a ride for whatever reason can get one. I know that sounds pretty big city, but if it saves one life by keeping one drunk driver off the road, it would be worth it.

So all in all, my vision is our community coming together, lifting each other up, loving our neighbors (even the ones we don't agree with, and the ones we didn't grow up with), and growing our children into strong, community minded, young adults.

10/16/2023

Born in Charleston SC in '74
Moved to Hartsville SC in '77
Moved to Shelbyville TN in '78
Moved to Durham NC in '81
Moved to Lexington NC in '03
Moved to Clemmons NC in '08
Moved to Sparta NC in '21

I have never lived in my parents hometown.

I only lived in my hometown for a few years.

I do not have "lifelong friends", I met my oldest friend when I was seven, I have not seen him in over 20 years.

So it's ok if you don't want to get to know me before deciding you dislike me solely because I am a flatlander. I understand.

And it's ok if I don't get elected to Town Council, I never really expected to win, solely because I am not from here.

But I put myself out there because I love my new home, I believe in myself and my abilities, and I want to contribute to my community.

I have shared my thoughts with you under the Facebook spotlight because I believe the issues I speak on will need to be addressed in the near future and healthy discussions may offer insight into solutions for our problems.

It's a risky business putting your thoughts out in a public forum. Great care must be take to phrase your thoughts well. One poorly phrased thought causing a misinterpretation could kill any chances of winning a seat. But I am confident in my ability to positively convey my thoughts to you all, giving everyone a chance to know who I am, and decide if my values coincide with their own.

I want to thank everyone for the many comments on my posts, both positive and negative. It's human nature to disagree. If we all thought alike, this would be a pretty boring and bland world.

10/15/2023

I have heard a lot of discussion about the housing crisis here in Alleghany County. Many people want to blame the airbnb owners, new comers, and part time residents of Alleghany County. I want to explore these three groups and share my point of view on each, then summarize my overall thoughts on the crisis.

Let's start with the Airbnb community. They offer an alternative for tourists to visit our county and spend their money in our community. Hosts pay (or should pay!) an occupancy tax for each and every client that stay on their property. Many people want to restrict Airbnbs, but I simply do not believe that our government should have the right to tell people how to use their property beyond zoning restrictions. As long as they are paying their property and occupancy taxes, they are ok in my mind.

There has been a large influx of people moving to our county over the past decade. As you may know, my family belongs to this group as we moved from Clemmons to Sparta two years ago. Jessica and I were seeking a slower pace of life and a more scenic backdrop for our life. So let's take a closer look at this group in general. Most of the newcomers to our county are successful professionals who bring with them a specialized set of skills that truly enhance our community. Having people wanting to move to Alleghany is a good problem to have. It means you have som**hing good happening that others want to be a part of.

On to the part-time residents who choose to spend their summers here in Alleghany County. These folks have likely been successful in life and have chosen to invest in our community and call it home for part of the year. They pay taxes just like full time residents. They use local contractors for upgrading their properties. Three out of five of my neighbors are part-timers and they are all wonderful people.

One common theme I see among all three groups is that they are buying homes that cost $200k or much, much more. These homes are likely out of the reach of most first time home buyers. I do not see any of these groups as the "problem" causing the housing crisis.

So where is the solution? Good question, right!?!

For starters, this problem is much larger than the Town of Sparta, or even Alleghany County. Rising real estate prices across North Carolina are making it harder for people to break into home ownership. Apartment living is becoming the normal for all generations of people in most large communities.

So why are there only a few apartment complexes in Alleghany County? If their is so much need for housing here, then why are there no private companies wanting to invest in our community by building an apartment complex. Are there incentives or tax breaks we could offer to entice companies to build apartment complexes? I truly believe that this issue is more of a county wide issue. There is just not enough room in town to build a large scale apartment complex. There is an abundance of land in our county that could easily be used for such a project. It would be great for the town to work with the county to arrive at a solution that benefits both!

So long story short, I do not have a solid answer for this problem. But this is an issue that we need to address as a community and find a way to provide affordable housing to all of our residents. Let's throw some ideas out there and work towards that solution.

10/13/2023

Fiscal responsibility will be my greatest concern if elected to Sparta Town Council. Our town management and leaders must keep focus on their fiscal responsibility in every decision involving town affairs.

We cannot allow overspending on projects due to improper planning. We must investigate, question, consult professionals, and predict the worst case scenarios involving any project and plan our budgets accordingly. I would much rather my government officials approve projects with realistic budgets, rather than coming back half way into a project saying they must greatly exceed an unrealistic or under researched budget.

We should remain critical when considering our communities "wants", so we have more options when confronted by our community's "needs". Sometimes a great idea or vision cannot be afforded until a later time, and that has to be OK.

We must also ensure that town assets and properties are properly maintained and operational. Long term maintenance requirements should always be a major consideration when projects are still in the planning state, not as an after thought three years after project completion due lack of maintenance causes a major issue costing taxpayers. From my experience, money spent on maintenance is often saved by reducing the frequency of needed repairs.

So in conclusion, be prepared to hear me reference our fiscal responsibility in relation to many and most topics up for debate during the election and throughout my term if I am elected to the Sparta Town Council.

10/13/2023

Hey Sparta!

The Sparta Town Council elections are right around the corner!

If you are a town resident and already registered to vote, let your voice be heard!

You likely don't know much about me beyond my letter to the paper last week.

Please stay tuned to Chris Sheffield for Town Council of Sparta NC for more information about your candidate over the weekend.

I would like to thank everyone in advance for any and all comments on my upcoming posts. Please remain respectful, but speak your mind.

Thank you all for your consideration in the upcoming election!

10/04/2023

My name is Chris Sheffield and I am the GM of the Speedway in Sparta. My wife Jessica and I are proud parents of two daughters, Emily and Abby. Emily gave us our first grandchild, Gabriella, a year ago. My family is my greatest asset.

Before Covid, I managed Innovative Concessions Enterprises out of Clemmons for 18 years, working many large scale events like the Kentucky Derby. During my tenure, we grew the business from a single warehouse to seven warehouses spread out along the east coast. We expanded from being just a special event company, developing a vast network of Dippin' Dot freezers in convenience stores (there is even one of our freezers in the Alleghany Meat Market). This diversity saved the company, as Covid took away every event for the better part of a year. The experience I gained through this chapter of my life brought a greater understanding of what it takes to execute and plan for a large scale event and also how being multifaceted can be beneficial in business.

The greatest strength that I bring to the table are my core values that were instilled in me from a young age by my wonderful parents Randy and Cathy Sheffield.

Integrity: I do what I say I will do, always trying my best to not say what I cannot do.

Respect: I hold doors for people. I'll pump your gas if you need me to. I will listen to and respect people's opinions even when they differ from my own.

Financial Responsibility: If you can't afford it, you can't have it. I believe that not maintaining what you have is worse than not having it.

Humility: When I break som**hing or mess som**hing up, I own up to what I did. I am not above saying that I am sorry.

Sportsmanship: Always respect both your teammates and your opponents. If I have to be negative towards others to win, I would just assume to lose.

Kindness: I am always willing to spread a little kindness to others. I have found that a kind word or gesture can really make a huge difference in somebody's day.

I have chosen Sparta as my home. A slower pace of life and a scenic backdrop for my life is what I desired and also what I found. Trust me on one thing… "I do not want to turn Sparta into Clemmons!!" I love the small town vibe of Main Street. I have much respect for Alleghany Jams and their mission to pass the knowledge of music to a new generation. Sparta is blessed to have so many local venues for music. We have a true gem of a town here in Sparta!

I cannot think of a better way to show my appreciation for the acceptance that I have found in Sparta than to offer my services and experiences to my community by running for Town Council. I believe that many of the people living in Sparta and all around Alleghany County share my core values and would appreciate a voice that they can count on and stand behind. I will work hard to provide Sparta with sound reasoning and responsible decision making that aligns with my core values.

10/03/2023

SORRY FOLKS...
There will be
NO POLITICAL SIGNS around Town
Chris Sheffield for Town Council of Sparta NC

09/14/2023

I remember coming through Sparta so many years ago on the way to New River Campground and Canoe for a weekend camping getaway from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. I remember the thought, "Now this is the kind of place I want to live one day."

Fast forward to 2019, we are looking for a place for our camper and our path lead us back to Sparta when we parked our camper at A and C Campground. The longer we "vacationed" and explored the area, the more I longed to live here.

Covid left me on unemployment from a job of 19 years where I managed a concessions company. After trying this and that with little satisfaction, an opportunity came along where I could live in Sparta!

My wife Jessica, my youngest daughter Abby and I decided to uprooted our lives and moved to Sparta. I remember Jessica finding a rental off Fox Ridge Road within days of my being offered the job. It was meant to be!

February of 2022, we moved into our house on Hill Street. I feel that my heart found it's way home.

~Chris

Follow Chris Sheffield for Town Council of Sparta NC for more insight into my life, experience, vision and overall mindset leading into the upcoming election.

Whether you vote for me or not, please VOTE if you live in town! We need our entire community to come together and take ownership of this precious gem we get to call home.

Chris Sheffield for Town Council of Sparta NC

10/25/2023

10/17/2023

10/16/2023

10/16/2023

10/15/2023

10/13/2023

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09/14/2023

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