The 03-14-2025 Edition of Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly
Friday, March 14, 2025 • Vol. 25 • No. 10
By Justin Vick Contributor
Matthews Mayor John Higdon was critical of three town commissioners for pulling their support of a resolution opposing Mecklenburg County’s proposed 1-cent sales tax for transit.
Higdon’s remarks from the March 10 board meeting are transcribed below. We have also included a summary of reactions from the three commissioners he called out.
Higdon also emailed Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly a more concise statement on March 11. We are publishing both sets of remarks because the March 10 version generated immediate re-
action of those called out and the March 11 version succinctly summarizes Higdon’s stance.
Since being rst elected to this board a dozen years ago, I've always done my best to make the best decisions for our citizens.
In particular, I have always strived to keep our taxes as low as possible while maintaining the high quality of life our citizens demand and deserve.
at is why the recent actions of three of our elected o cials is so troubling.
Saturday, March 1, Commissioner (Leon) reatt informed me via email that since our board's Aug. 12, 2024, resolution opposing a
MATTHEWS – A story written almost
300 years ago, ”Beauty and the Beast” is a tale as old as time.
Charlotte Academy of Music’s SHINE Musical eatre division recently presented this classic story with a cast of Charlotte area youth.
is production was one of the last opportunities to see the adored Disney classic. “Beauty and the Beast JR.” will go into the Disney vault at the end of this month, which means it may be several years before it is available for licensing to studios, schools and community theatres.
e reason? Disney is launching a North American tour of “Beauty and the Beast” beginning this summer with a newly reimagined 30th anniversary production.
“We were honored to be one of the last
By Justin Vick Contributor
MATTHEWS – Town commissioners denied a rezoning request March 10 that would have turned a 0.9-acre residential lot on Matthews-Mint Hill Road into an office building with 29 parking spaces.
Still reeling from the approval of the Santé Matthews development in 2023, Windrow Estates residents ramped up e orts to oppose the rezoning request by Ioan Gorgan and Ioana Gorgan.
“At the public hearing, held on Jan. 13, there was signi cant public opposition to the
companies in the country to perform ‘Beauty and the Beast JR.’ and so happy to provide our students with such a special opportunity,” said Regina Ziliani, owner of Charlotte Academy of Music.
e “Beauty and the Beast JR.” production featured all of the songs audiences have come to love by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, including “Belle,” “Gaston,” “Be Our Guest,” “ e Mob Song” and “Beauty and the Beast.”
Directed by Marissa Hertzfeld, the 40-member cast transported the audience to a French provincial town full of action, adventure, singing and dancing.
Appearing in the leading roles were Ellie Grace Fichtman as Belle and Miles Medlin as the Beast.
Dylan Ryder portrayed the self-absorbed
Mayor describes leaders’ actions as sellout of taxpayers
1-cent transit sales tax, he had read Senate Bill 145 and received additional information that led him to no longer support our resolution opposing the pending legislation.
On Sunday, March 2, after having previously informed the media of their decision in multiple interviews, Mayor Pro Tem (Gina) Hoover and Commissioner (Mark) Tofano did the same. Commissioner Tofano stated in his email, “If tax legislation were to make its way to the Mecklenburg Board of Commissioners for consideration of placing on the ballot as a referendum, I would encourage them to do so. is matter should be decided by the people of Mecklenburg County. I
Charlotte Academy of Music wraps up Beauty and the Beast JR
Gaston and Evan Ziliani as Gaston’s bumbling sidekick, Lefou. Ava Pereira gave a passionate performance as Belle’s father, Maurice.
An audience favorite, the stunningly costumed enchanted castle sta – Sidney Miller as the candelabra Lumiere; Anika Ryder as Cogsworth the talking clock; Grace Williams as Mrs. Potts the teapot; McKenzie Randall as Babette the feather duster; Katelyn Urbain as Madame de la Grande Bouche the wardrobe; and Abbie Faith Fichtman as teacup Chip. Charlotte Academy of Music looks forward to its next production, “Matilda JR.” is cast will even have an opportunity to perform at the Junior eatre Festival along with over 7,000 other musical-loving kids next January.
Area youth interested in being part of the cast can nd information on the academy’s website, charlotteacademyofmusic.com.
Matthews leaders deny rezoning near Windrow Estates
would remain neutral on the referendum but would make an e ort to ensure that the voters received the information necessary either for or against the referendum for them to make an educated decision.”
To this sentiment I reply that leadership requires making hard decisions. Remaining neutral on a decision that will be impactful to our town for a century or more is, in my opinion, the shirking of an elected leader's responsibilities.
I don't want to mince words here. Having three of our commissioners side with
MATTHEWS – The Matthews Heritage Museum has introduced a rotating exhibit, “All Aboard: Matthews' Rail History,” that celebrates the arrival of the railroad in 1874 and its impact on the town's growth and development. is exhibit showcases historic photographs of the Matthews Depot, a 1926 timetable and memorabilia from the Seaboard Air Line Railroad spanning the 1930s to 1950s.
Visitors can also view artifacts, including a trainman's hat and a collection of Lionel train cars, o ering a nostalgic journey through the golden age of rail travel.
“ e arrival of the railroad marked a turning point for Matthews, transforming it from a small farming community into a thriving town,” said Bob Aycock, museum director. “ is exhibit brings that history to life and highlights how the iron rails connected our town to other areas of North Carolina and the United States.”
The exhibit will be on display through May. Whether you're a lifelong train enthusiast or a history bu , "All Aboard: Matthews' Rail History" o ers an exciting look at the tracks that shaped the town.
The museum operates from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ursday through Saturday within the 1879 MasseyClark House, 232 N. Trade St. Admission is free. Call 704-708-4996 or visit matthewsheritagemuseum.org for details.
Anika Ryder (Cogsworth) and Sidney Miller (Lumiere) had some of the most creative costumes in the production.
Ellie Grace Fichtman (Belle) and Miles Medlin (Beast) had the lead roles in Charlotte Academy of Music’s ”Beauty and the Beast JR.” Kiersten Clay/K. Clay Photography
Evan Ziliani (Lefou) and Dylan Ryder (Gaston) added depth to a strong show.
The cast of “Beauty and the Beast JR.” ranged in age from 10 to 17.
courtesy of Town of Matthews
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NEWS BRIEFS
TowneBank supports Matthews Free Medical Clinic
MATTHEWS – Matthews Free Medical Clinic
welcomed leaders from TowneBank to celebrate a $100,000 grant made to purchase new computers, help expand the clinic’s dental program and support the launch of a bene ts program for sta . e nonpro t provides free quality health care services to low-income, uninsured and underinsured residents throughout Mecklenburg and Union counties.
South Charlotte Partners hosting transportation summit
CHARLOTTE – South Charlotte Partners o ers the community an opportunity to engage with leaders shaping the future of transportation
during its Regional Transportation Summit. e summit takes place from 8 a.m. to noon April 24 at TPC Piper Glen.
Speakers and panelists expected include Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, City Councilman Ed Driggs, and a group of local, state and regional transportation experts.
“Transportation and mobility are critical to economic development and quality of life in south Charlotte,” said Ben Mears, chair of South Charlotte Partners. “We’re excited to welcome these key stakeholders to share their insights on the future direction of transportation in our area.”
Attendees will gain insight into major transportation initiatives, featuring representatives from the North Carolina Department of Transportation, commercial real estate developers and Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
Tickets are available for $100, which includes breakfast. Buy them at eventbrite.com. Early registration is recommended.
On the web: southcharlottepartners.com
Monroe Police Department makes death by distribution arrest
MONROE – e Monroe Police Department has made an arrest as part of an overdose death investigation.
is case began in September 2024 when police responded to the Relax Inn on West Roosevelt Boulevard. Minnie Ledbetter, 41, lost her life due to an overdose.
Over the last seven months, detectives followed up on leads and identi ed the source of the narcotics that led to Ledbetter’s death.
The Monroe Police Department arrested Raquan Neal, 28 of Monroe, on charges of felony death by distribution. He was placed in the Union County Detention Center.
North Carolina passed the death by distribution law in 2019 to combat illicit narcotic distribution and hold drug dealers accountable for criminal conduct. e Monroe Police Department says it is committed to enforce the law and bring justice to victims of drug overdoses.
South Piedmont to host Women’s History Month luncheons
MONROE – South Piedmont Community College will host a pair of luncheons featuring female leaders in honor of Women’s History Month.
“ is event is sure to spark ideas and conversation, as well as inspire attendees as they hear how members of the South Piedmont community have overcome barriers and blazed new trails for the women following in their footsteps,” said Alen Doty, director of student life, engagement, and leadership.
Michelle Brock, Marsha omas, Katherine Widner, Connie Gardner, Deborah Barrett and Brandy Clemmer are among speakers.
Luncheons will take place on:
• March 18, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., L.L. Polk campus, 680 U.S. 74, Polkton.
• March 20, noon to 1 p.m., Old Charlotte Highway campus, 4209 Old Charlotte Hwy., Monroe.
e free luncheons are open to the public but registration is required at events.spcc.edu.
Men’s basketball: Queen’s Grant moves to west
CHAPEL HILL – The Queen’s Grant men’s basketball team has advanced to the western regionals of the North Carolina High Athletic Association playoffs.
e Stallions are the last of the 15 teams from southern Mecklenburg and Union counties to qualify for the tournament. e regional nals was scheduled for March 10 to 13 followed by the state championship March 14 and 15.
1A Bracket • No. 3 Queen’s Grant will play No. 5
Corvian Community School in the west regional nal after defeating No. 2 South Stokes, 8859. e winner plays either No. 1 Washington County or No. 2 Southern Wake Academy for the championship. e Stallions previously defeated East Wilkes, Winston-Salem Prep and Union Academy in the tournament.
• Union Academy qualified for the playoffs but lost in the rst round.
2A Bracket • Monroe reached the third round of the playo s. Forest Hills made it to the second round.
regional
3A Bracket • Piedmont qualified for the playoffs but lost in the rst round.
4A Bracket
• No. 9 Myers Park lost to No. 13 Chambers, 70-63, in the fourth round. The Mustangs previously defeated Lake Norman, Reagan and Butler in the tournament.
• Ardrey Kell, Butler, Charlotte Catholic, Cuthbertson, East Mecklenburg, Marvin Ridge and South Mecklenburg quali ed for the playo s but lost in the rst round. Independence and Weddington reached the third round.
Proposal: District flexibility, restored master’s pay to benefit educators
By Alan Wooten Contributor
( e Center Square) – Increased pay for educators would range from $9,000 to $12,000 and extra compensation for teachers with master’s degrees would be reinstated if a Republican lawmaker’s bill passes in North Carolina.
Raise Teacher Pay & Dollar Allot.Study, also known as House Bill 192, is in the Committee on Appropriations in the state House of Representatives. Support for the bill shepherded by Rep. Erin Paré, R-Wake, has the broad support of 56 lawmakers inclusive of both Republicans and Democrats.
Even the North Carolina Association of Educators, a union-like advocacy organization, has given endorsement despite fair warning from the sponsor.
“It would be best for the NCAE to sit this one out and allow constructive work to be done on behalf of North Carolina teachers,” Paré said. “ e involvement of this hyper-partisan union injects unnecessary political jargon into a serious discussion. I look forward to continuing to ght for this bill in order to create an environment in North Carolina that attracts and retains the best teachers.”
Raise Teacher Pay & Dollar Allot.Study, to be enacted July 1 if adopted, would generate an appropriation just $23 million short of
$1.6 billion in the 2025-26 budget.
The starting pay for first-year teachers would scale between $41,000 and $50,000. e most experienced would increase to between $55,950 and $68,230.
Paré’s proposal combats the critiques of previous plans and the model in place while not altogether changing it. Teachers with 15 to 24 years of experience remain held at, there’s a raise for after 25 years and then at again. ere is a step scale from zero years experience to 15.
In previous proposals, more experienced teachers usually got little, and the less experienced even to rst-year teachers more. e Republicans in the Senate, and their priorities, have also been a stumbling block to previous proposals from their party mates in the lower chamber.
Former Gov. Roy Cooper, like past
Democrats in the o ce before him, has long supported better pay for teachers as does Gov. Josh Stein today. Cooper vetoed more biennial budgets than he signed, including at the expense of teachers’ raises because he wanted them to get more money than o ered.
“Record numbers of teachers are being forced out of the profession, and teacher shortages are making it harder to provide every student with an excellent education,” a statement from the North Carolina Association of Educators said. “But it’s going to take more than a bill. It’s going to take legislative leadership with the strength and commitment to get it through the budget process. at’s something we haven’t seen in a long time.”
Primary cosponsor with Paré, founder of a nonpro t for kids in music education, include a key budget writer in Forsyth County Republican Rep. Donny Lambeth. It also includes Rep. Tricia Cotham, R-Mecklenburg, not only a former Democrat and educator but vice chairman of the powerful Rules Committee, vice chairman of the Appropriations Committee, and chairman of the education arm of the latter.
Rep. Mike Schietzelt, R-Wake, is the fourth cosponsor.
In addition to the pay changes, Paré wants the North Carolina Collaboratory to study a dollar allotment system for public school employee compensation. Paré said this should
Analysis: Charlotte, Raleigh are
By Alan Wooten Contributor
( e Center Square) – Taxpayer surplus and burden analysis by Illinois-based Truth in Accounting ranks Raleigh eighth, Charlotte 13th and Greensboro 29th among 75 of the largest cities in America. Respectively, the City of Oaks has the same ranking as last year, and the Queen City and Tournament Town each climbed four spots.
e ninth annual Financial State of the Cities report, produced in cooperation with the Daniels School of Business at the University of Denver, measures scal health of the 75 most populous cities based on comprehensive nancial reports dated 2023.
Sunshine cities
e methodology is to examine the cities' bills, their respective number of taxpayers and determine if there is burden or surplus for each. Grades of A or B are given to governments making their balanced budget requirements; C for passing if it comes close; and D and F when it is not balanced and there are signi cant taxpayer burdens.
The report said Raleigh and Charlotte, each earning a B grade, continued to improve “solidifying status as a Sunshine City.”
Raleigh has $450.6 million available to cover future bills, creating a taxpayer surplus of $2,700. Charlotte has $321.8 million available, creating a taxpayer surplus of $1,000.
Greensboro earned a C grade, and the report says it “showed
some improvement.” Still, the letter grade equates to a Sinkhole City in the analysis. There is $116.8 million needed to cover bills, creating a taxpayer burden of $1,100. No cities on the list reached an A grade, meaning a taxpayer surplus of $10,000 or more. ere were 21 at B, or surplus of $1 to $9,999; 27 were C, or taxpayer burden of $0 to $4,999; and 25 were D, or burden of $5,000 to $20,000. Two cities got an F for burden greater than $20,000. Washington, D.C., like a year ago, led with a taxpayer surplus of $9,000. New York City ($56,800) and Chicago ($40,600) had the largest taxpayer burdens. Tampa, fourth at $3,400 surplus, was the only southeastern city in front of Raleigh.
create a way for the state to support all 115 school districts, each with “more exibility to di erentiate pay in order to hire and retain good people for high demand, hard to hire positions in schools.”
Often, context is lost in the debate on teacher pay and teacher shortages. ere is a total volume of teachers needed, and there is the need for teachers in speci c areas of expertise such as special needs, science or English, etc.
“Being able to recruit and retain great teachers in North Carolina is an important part of improving education outcomes and making sure North Carolina is competitive for talent in our schools,” Paré said in a release. “My bill will increase starting teacher pay to $50,000 and restore master’s degree pay. As a mom of two kids in public school myself, it is important to me that we invest in public education in North Carolina; making sure we are competitive with teacher pay is top priority.”
Twenty-three more Republicans are joining the four primary sponsors. e House has just 49 Democrats and 29 are cosponsoring.
The list from the Democratic party includes Reps. Mary Belk, Terry Brown, Laura Budd, Becky Carney, Carla Cunningham, Beth Helfrich, Brandon Lofton, Carolyn Logan, Jordan Lopez and Nasif Majeed of Mecklenburg County.
Mavs, Yellow Jackets fall in women’s basketball playoffs
CHAPEL HILL – The Forest Hills and Marvin Ridge women’s basketball teams weren’t able to advance past the fourth round of the North Carolina High Athletic Association playoffs. They were the last of the 14 teams from southern Mecklenburg and Union counties that quali ed for the tournament.
4A Bracket • No. 5 Marvin Ridge lost to No. 1 McDowell, 54-44, in the fourth round. e Mavericks previously defeated Hickory Ridge, Grimsley and Southwest Guilford in the tournament. • Ardrey Kell, Myers Park, Porter Ridge, Rocky River and Weddington qualified for the playo s but lost in the rst round. Butler and Charlotte Catholic
reached the second round. South Mecklenburg made the third round.
3A Bracket • Parkwood qualified for the playo s but lost in the rst round.
2A Bracket • No. 6 Forest Hills lost to No. 2 East Burke, 78-45, in the fourth round. e Yellow Jackets previously defeated Bandys, East Surry and West Stanly in the tournament.
• Monroe qualified for the playo s but lost in the rst round.
1A Bracket
• Union Academy qualified for the playo s, reaching the second round. Queen’s Grant made the third round.
Pictured (from left) are Will Bishop, senior vice president and commercial banking officer at TowneBank; Amy Carr, executive director of the Matthews Free Medical Clinic; and Ted Wolfe, president of TowneBank Charlotte. Photo courtesy of TowneBank
Tricia Ann Cotham Erin Paré
Charlotte and the county and against our best interests is a complete and total sellout of Matthews taxpayers.
Here is why: All three commissioners claim they received additional information regarding the bill that caused them to change their minds.
In media interviews, Mayor Pro Tim Hoover and Commissioner Tofano stated they had no idea the town would receive funding for roads from the bill.
Mayor Pro Tem Hoover stated in a WSOC interview, “We were always told the town's not going to receive anything.”
is is interesting since prior to her interview, Hoover asked if portions of the road money could be used to oset stormwater fees.
Commissioner Tofano stated in a Charlotte Ledger interview, “ e bottom line we were told there would be absolutely nothing either materially or nancially coming to Matthews if the sales tax was passed.”
Stating they were not noti ed about every nuance of the bill is demonstrably untrue. e fact that the town would receive funding from the bill is rst and foremost codi ed in the bill itself.
Senate Bill 145 contains verbatim verbiage as what was initially proposed back in May of 2024, which prompts the question: Did these commissioners even read the bill prior to the decision to pull support from our resolution?
Further, I am in possession of over 150 pages of communication from May 8 to Aug. 12, when we adopted our resolution, that clearly states every nuance of the bill again.
ese pages show multiple times in emails, phone calls and meetings that the bill
would provide funding for Matthews roads. I will make these available as exhibits this evening and will make them available to the media and the public upon request.
This begs the question of Mayor Pro Tem Hoover and Commissioner Tofano, were you purposely lying when you stated you had no knowledge of the road funding during your interviews or did you just not bother to read the pending legislation and town emails or pay attention during meetings?
Punting the Silver Line East light rail means also doing away with the approximately $40 million already expended on its design. at's $40 million of our tax money that will be e ectively ushed down the toilet.
All three of these commissioners stated they oppose the town's resolution and are neutral on a referendum getting on the ballot. What does that mean for Matthews taxpayers?
Well as Mecklenburg County at-large Commissioner Lee Altman likes to remind me, Matthews makes up only 3% of the county's population. is means the other 97% would decide Matthews tax and transit fate if this goes to a countywide ballot and that even if 99% of Matthews residents oppose the tax, it could and will likely still pass. Be advised the plan currently being pushed as the most favorable contains zero rail and not even the far inferior bus rapid transit for Matthews. We would only receive an annual stipend for roads. Why is this a bad idea?
According to Commissioner Tofano’s own calculations, a 1-cent sales tax increase, which at 8.25%, would be the highest in North Carolina and one of the highest in the country, would result in an equivalent 6.59 penny property tax increase for Matthews
taxpayers. e fact that this board has hotly debated tax increases a mere fraction of that amount makes me scratch my head as to why these commissioners are willing to throw caution at the wind and allow the entire county to decide whether or not to put you on the hook for this especially large tax increase.
Further, if we wanted to have an equivalent annual stipend for roads, there would be less red tape from Raleigh and less expense for us to simply increase our property tax rate. en again, I have not heard our constituents clamoring for a tax increase of this size for this purpose. Have you?
Regarding the tax, a prominent Charlotte business leader stated in a recent interview, Matthews is being treated no di erently than any other town in the county. Allow me to reply by reiterating MASH’s Colonel Potter's frequent retort to nonsense by saying, “horse pucky.”
The current plan would deliver rail to Charlotte, Pineville, Huntersville, Davidson and Cornelius. e current legislation even contemplates building rail in Iredell County at no charge to their taxpayers but not in Matthews.
How is that equitable? In what universe is that equitable? Why would we want the other towns that will receive favorable outcomes if the legislation passes to decide this issue for Matthews?
I have spoken to hundreds of Matthews residents regarding the 1-cent sales tax since May and not one has been in favor of it in its current form. Not one.
This past Saturday, I attended the Matthews (Area) Chamber of Commerce 45th anniversary gala. Not one business owner expressed support for the tax if it doesn't include rail for Matthews. Several expressed a
Mayor Higdon reacts to 3 commissioners changing minds on tax
By John Higdon Contributor
(Editor’s Note: Matthews Mayor John Higdon submitted these remarks to MatthewsMint Hill Weekly on March 11. We are also publishing a longer set of remarks that Higdon made on March 10 that generated immediate reaction from his colleagues.)
I, along with the majority of the Matthews Town Board, oppose North Carolina SB 145 as currently written, since it would levy an 8.25% sales tax on Mecklenburg County (the highest in the state) and deliver light rail to Charlotte, Pineville, Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson and even Mooresville, but not in Matthews.
Remarkably, three Matthews commissioners have publicly stated they no longer oppose SB 145, and are advocating that the matter be decided by a county-wide referendum that could impose the tax despite Matthews’ opposition, with the town receiving only roads funding and not light rail or even the vastly inferior bus rapid transit.
Mayor Pro Tem (Gina) Hoover and Commissioners (Leon) reatt and (Mark) Tofano further indicated in our March 10, 2025 town board meeting that they no longer desire light rail to be built in Matthews at all, but are apparently OK with letting Matthews taxpayers foot the bill to have it built everywhere else. e one-cent sales tax increase SB 145 contemplates would impose an equivalent 6.59 penny property tax increase on Matthews taxpayers, one of the largest tax increases ever levied on our citizens.
All three flip-flopping commissioners stated they received “additional information” about the bill that caused them to change their minds.
Mayor Pro Tem Hoover stated in a WSOC interview “We were always told the town’s not going to receive anything (from the tax),” an interesting comment since prior to her interview in a previous town
concern that the higher sales tax would actually encourage our customers to go to other counties to shop and conduct business since the sales tax would apply to the totality of Mecklenburg County.
Why would three of your elected officials now no longer support a resolution against the sales tax when it's obvious even to Matthews school-age children that I've spoken to that it is not in the best interest of our town.
From my vantage point, it all appears very transactional but I hope you will ask them what prompted a last-minute change of heart that will punish our community and weaken our ability to negotiate a better deal with the legislature?
Ask them what new information did they discover that's not disclosed in these 150 pages.
We need leaders in this dais that support Matthews’ interests and not those that bow down to Charlotte when they are mutually exclusive.
Leaders respond to Higdon’s remarks
Commissioners Renee Garner, Ken McCool and John Urban gave a quick round of applause after Mayor John Higdon nished giving remarks critical of Gina Hoover, Leon Threatt and Mark Tofano for pulling their support of a resolution opposing Mecklenburg County’s proposed 1-cent sales tax.
“I'd like to go on record to make it real clear that I believe that your statements were inappropriate, untimely and if necessary, you needed to talk with us more personally about the details of your information,” Threatt told Higdon. “I think your information and communication has been terribly disrespectful because we have the right as elected o cials to have different opinions about issues. I'm not sure what you're try-
REZONING from 1A
project as proposed,” Planner
ing to accomplish by doing that but I felt like it was quite unnecessary.”
Higdon thanked reatt for not giving interviews to the media but those who did stated mistruths.
Hoover pointed out a mistruth. She said a commissioner on the dais mentioned that Iredell County would be getting a train and that Matthews citizens would have to pay for it. She mentioned that CATS CEO Brent Cagle made it clear that Mecklenburg County can’t go into Iredell County without permission and Mecklenburg County taxes can’t pay for a train in Iredell County.
Higdon challenged Hoover by asking her if she read Senate Bill 145, saying the bill trumps what Cagle says.
“If you're upset at us because of what we are being told, maybe you should go to the (Metropolitan Transit Commission) and tell individuals with the MTC to correctly inform us but that's what we were told,” Hoover said. “The information we are getting are from people from the MTC.”
Higdon countered the people from the MTC support Senate Bill 145.
Hoover also said the resolution that Matthews commissioners passed Aug. 12, 2024, opposing the 1-cent sales tax increase incorrectly mentioned that Mint Hill would not get anything from it.
“You want us to support that resolution,” Hoover said. “Well, we got to be honest to the people in that resolution as well.”
Hoover said her focus was on the resolution and she can’t support it because “some of the items in that resolution are lies.”
Higdon asked Hoover to explain which ones are lies and then pressed her again on if she read the bill.
Hoover also clari ed that she didn’t contact the media about her stance.
residential,” McCool said. “ e application is not reasonable because it over-develops an existing site.”
“Well, you went on media and lied to the people of Matthews and the entire county and that’s shameful,” Higdon told her.
Tofano explained why he no longer supports the resolution opposing the 1-cent sales tax.
Tofano said he is neither opposed or in favor of the tax but if the people get the opportunity to vote on it, he would do his best to supply them with the facts.
”Anybody that thinks we're going to get a Silver Line in your lifetime is illusionary,” he said. “It's not going to happen.”
Tofano believes the town could bene t from bus rapid transit as an alternative and microtransit initiatives that CATS recently introduced in the Lake Norman area.
“I want to make it explicitly clear that the decision to withdraw my support of the resolution was not just made for willy-nilly or without a great deal of thought but I wanted to keep the possibility of having something good instead of perpetually and hopelessly trying to get something perfect,” Tofano said.
Higdon asked Tofano if he received anything to change his mind about this issue like campaign donations or a seat on a government board. Tofano replied “absolutely not.”
“I think some commissioners in the past would have said that this would have been a conversation politely behind closed doors face to face and I agree with that,” Urban told Higdon. “But I also think that there were some hand grenades that were lobbed via the press, etc. etc. that has caused you to react to that and that is your privilege from that aspect of it.”
Urban said it was important to represent their constituents in Matthews, not Mecklenburg County.
board meeting Hoover asked if portions of the roads money generated from the transit tax could be used to o set stormwater fees.
Commissioner Tofano stated in a Charlotte Ledger interview “ e bottom line is we were told that there would be absolutely nothing, either materially ornancially, coming to Matthews if the sales tax was passed.”
SB 145 contains verbatim verbiage as what was initially proposed back in May of 2024 and clearly states that each Mecklenburg town will receive roads funding.
Additionally, in over 150 pages of written communication shared with the town board from May 8, 2024, until the day our resolution against the tax was adopted on Aug. 12, 2024, and in multiple meetings, including the Matthews Transit Summit attended by all three, every nuance of the bill was described and explained in detail, including the fact we would receive roads funding numerous times. Why then would Hoover and Tofano deliberately attempt to deceive the public in interviews? Was it to justify an unpopular opinion with their constituents?
e bottom line is SB 145 is not a good deal for Matthews. If all we will receive is roads funding, it would be better to levy our own property tax increase and eliminate all the restrictions that a county-wide tax would impose. To be clear, I am not in favor of any such tax increase, but that would be a better option for Matthews.
I recall the initial excitement about the possibility of light rail nally coming to Matthews after three plus decades of anticipation. Light rail would reduce road congestion, bring customers to our businesses and be a great convenience to our citizens.
I hope you will inquire as to why Hoover, Tofano and reatt are not only willing to settle for so much less, but are actually now advocating for a county-wide referendum that would signi cantly raise your taxes.
Rob Will told commissioners March 10. “So the applicant went back and made some adjustments to the site plan – some fairly major adjustments – made the building look more residential and limited the potential o ce uses of the site.”
e Gorgans requested a deferral to the April 14 meeting to provide color architectural renderings with the application but commissioners had heard enough.
Commissioner Ken McCool made a motion that the board deny the rezoning request.
“The application is inconsistent with the land-use plan because of the potential impacts to the surrounding
e site, located at 3412 Matthews-Mint Hill Road, is currently accessible through Blacksmith Court, which leads into a culdesac. Neighbors prefer to keep the site residential.
David Gaertner said neighbors who bought into a culdesac were worried about their home environment, tra c and resell value. Gaertner reiterated to commissioners during the public comment period that the rezoning was entirely in their hands and that recommended land uses outlined in the Envision Matthews plan were merely guidelines.
“There’s a lot of people who are not happy about the vision for their little slice of
heaven,” Gaertner said. Clay Gilliam said he felt like his neighborhood was getting squeezed in by commercial uses since approval of Santé Matthews.
“It’s very upsetting to a lot of people, especially the older people that live in our neighborhood,” Gillam said. “It’s tough enough for them. You can’t even get out of Windrow in the mornings.” Tony Williamson said he doesn't feel like the Town of Matthews planning sta has enough in uence from Matthews. Williamson, whose Matthews Homeowners United group supported Gina Hoover, Mark Tofano, Leon reatt and others in the 2023 election following dissatisfaction with the Santé Matthews development, said more change would be coming in the 2025 election.
– 97
Deli Salvadorena, 7209 E. W. T Harris Blvd. – 96.5
Edible Arrangements, 6832 Matthews-Mint Hill Road – 94.5
Regional Sales Director - Corporate Services. Compass Group USA, Inc. Charlotte, NC. Mst teleco fr w/ in sales terr & reside in sales terr (CO, AZ, ID, NV, NM, UT, WA, CA). M-F 8a-5p & acrss multi time zones, ovrnght trvl & extra / w/e hrs. Follow Compass sales proc incl prosp, sell & neg contrcts. Reqs Bach (any fld) / equiv. Reqs 3 yrs of new bus dev exp incl 3 yrs: use excel to dev fincials; use bus acumen & rev fincials w/ clt; wrt cvr ltrs, exec summ & rspnd to clt RFP q’s; create & wrk w/ PP pres; comm w/ diff clts, prosp, & oper in bus dev proc; org & multitsk to mng multi deals at var stages of sales proc; wrk w/ CRM DB mgmt sys. Sbmt to bg chck. Reqs 50-70% US trvl in sales terr. Apply: res to: shared.talentacquisitionoperations@compass-usa.com & ref #115259.
Software Engineer II, F/T at Truist Bank (Charlotte, NC) Customize coding, s/ware integration, perform analysis, & configure solutions, using tools that are pertinent/reqd for the area to which the person is assigned. Provide escalated support for applications in production. Work independently on most phases of applications systems analysis & prgmg activities. Must have Bach’s deg in Comp Sci, Comp Engg, Electrical/Electronics Engg or related tech’l field. Must have 4 yrs of exp in s/ware engg positions performing/ utilizing the following: applying in-depth knowl in info systems & ability to identify, apply, & implmt IT best practices; understanding of key business processes & competitive strategies related to the IT function; planning & managing projects & solving complex problems by applying best practices; providing direction & mentoring less experienced teammates. Utilizing exp w/: JavaScript, CSS, Java, AWS, Splunk, XML, WSDL, Linux, Unix, Oracle 10g, MS SQL, DB2, Pega/PRPC 5.5, 6.1, 7.1.X, & 8.X, Pega BIX, Pega LogViewer, Pega Tracer & Tracer Viewer, Pega SMA, Pega AES, Pega
Performance Analyzer, Pega Log Analyzer, DB Tracer, SOAP UI, Site scope, OpenShift, K8s, Dynatrace, WebSphere, TOMCAT, AES, PDC, & Rally. Position may be eligible to work in a hybrid remote model & is based out of & reports to Truist offices in Charlotte, NC. Applicants must be able to work onsite at Truist offices in Charlotte, NC at least 3 days/wk. Apply online (https://careers.truist.com/) or email resume to: Paige.Whitesell@Truist.com (Ref Job# R0099718)
Software Engineer II, F/T at Truist Bank (Charlotte, NC) Deliver technically complex solutions. Perform system integration support for all project work. Dvlp customized coding, s/ware integration, perform analysis, configure solutions, using tools specific to the project or the area. Must have Bach’s deg in Comp Sci, Comp Engg, Mechanical Engg or related technical field. Must have 4 yrs of exp in s/ware engg or IT consulting positions performing/ utilizing the following: applying indepth knowl in info systems & ability to identify, apply, & implmt IT best practices; understanding of key business processes & competitive strategies related to the IT function; planning & managing projects & solve complex problems by applying best practices; applying broad functional knowl in defining technology reqmts; interpreting internal & external business challenges & implmtg best practices to improve products, processes, or services; leading technology projects of moderate complexity; & utilizing exp w/: COBOL, JCL, CICS, DB2, VSAM, SQL Server, File-Aid, Xpediter, CA7, Easytrieve, Rational Developer for z Systems (RDz), MS Visio, CA Workload Automation/ESP, Azure DevOps/Team Foundation Server, ChangeMan, FileManager, Abend-Aid, SonarQube, ServiceNow, System Architect, IBM Utilities, Velocity Template, Jasper iReport, Groovy, Java, HTML/XML, & Rally. Position may be eligible to work hy-
brid/remotely but is based out of & reports to Truist offices in Charlotte, NC. Must be available to travel to Charlotte, NC regularly for meetings & reviews w/ manager & project teams w/in 24-hrs’ notice. Apply online (https://careers.truist.com/) or email resume to: Paige.Whitesell@ Truist.com (Ref Job# R0099722)
Sr Mgr - Data Analyst, Software Engrg II - Equitable (Charlotte, NC) Create & enhance data products for Busns Users, Actuarial Anlysts & Modelers. Req:Bchl or for equiv dgr in Comp Sci, Elec Engrg, Info Sys or rltd IT fld plus at lst 2 yrs of progr post-bacc exp as Data Anlyst, Syst
Anlyst, Data Engr or rltd pos invl Data Anlys & explr, Data Mining, Data Sci & Big Data Techs (Hive/Impala). Exp. must incl: SQL, HQL, Python, Data Lake, Entrprs Data Warehouse (EDW), Oracle; Busns Intell; Rqmts Anlys; Data Validtn/Testing; Data Documntn; Data Vislztn in Tableau or PowerBI; Agile; Change Mgmt. Tools- Archer, Service NOW. 40 hrs/ wk. Salary is $110,000-$123,000. Prtl rmt wrk sched. Drct apps only. Refer: SI1730 & send rsme to Equitable, Attn: Mark Berkowsky, 1345 Ave of Americas, NY, NY 10105 or search job title at: https://equitable.com/ about-us/careers. EOE M/F/D/V
Waltonwood supports residents’ active and independent lifestyles and removes the worry that seniors — and their family members — often experience when they’re living on their own.
Move to Waltonwood and spend time doing the things you like most. We’ll take care of the rest.
Call and schedule a tour today. 704-246-8670
Independent Living, Assisted Living & Memory Care 11945 Providence Road, Charlotte, NC 28277 Waltonwood.com | SinghCareers.com
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You are invited to visit Epcon Communities during our Spring Open House Weekend, March 20-23.
Explore communities designed around single-level living and a low-maintenance lifestyle, with everything you need on one floor and lawn care included. With less time spent on chores, you will have more time to enjoy the lifestyle you’ve earned.
