Carthage Mayor and Town Commission Candidate Interviews- 2023
The Pines Preservation Guild reached out to the three candidates who have filed for Carthage Mayor and five candidates who have filed for Town Commission in the November 2023 election.
Our organization believes it is important to understand how each candidate values the history and preservation of Carthage. These values signal how the candidate might view and vote on ordinances and city planning issues that directly impact the preservation of historic buildings and districts in Carthage.
The PPG has prepared a brief candidate survey with the following goals:
1-To educate our community about each candidate’s attitudes about preservation
2-To allow candidates an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of local preservation issues
3-To introduce candidates unfamiliar with The PPG to our organization
The candidates were sent our questions via email to respond to in writing. If a candidate’s name is not listed below, they either declined to comment or could not be reached.
Responses are provided in full, may be edited for clarity, and appear in order of response submission.
The publishing of these answers does not constitute an endorsement by The Pines Preservation Guild nor its officers.
Jimmy Chalflitch
Mr Chalflitch is one of three candidates running for Mayor of Carthage
1.Please state your views on the role of historic preservation and our historic resources in the future of Carthage.
HP helps to preserve the historic charm and history.
2. What will be your top three priorities to ensure the preservation of Carthage’s historic buildings, sites, and neighborhoods?
1. New UDO with new rules to preserve
2. Putting together a HPC
3. Would you support the creation of a Historic Preservation Plan in Carthage?
Absolutely
4. Carthage currently has a National Register District, that terminates north of the traffic circle and does not include the historic structures around the courthouse. Would you support the town finding ways financially to help extend the national register district south along McReynolds Street so historic property owners in the currently excluded area would be eligible for state and/ or federal tax credits?
Yes, I think it is important to look at the district and make sure that we are expanding it as needed. Carthage has a lot of history and it should be protected and celebrated.
5. The previously mentioned Carthage National Register District offers no protection to existing historic structures. Although the town passed an ordinance to establish a Local Historic District Overlay to help protect Carthage’s historic buildings, that district was never created. This leaves many of Carthage’s historic structures unprotected and at risk of being demolished if the owner wishes without any oversight. How would you support ensuring that the Local Historic District is created?
Myself and the Carthage Board of Commissioners have already directed our Town Manager to work toward finishing the process of making a local historic district and commission. We are lucky that many of the historic homeowners choose to live in and repair our historic houses but our Board knows that having a local zone is important too.
6. Would you support the establishment of a historic preservation tax abatement? This could be a 10-15 year abatement to incentivize historic preservation anywhere in the town. Why or why not?
Like with question 6, with the public’s support and depending on policy language, I would be open to considering and potentially supporting this program.
7. What is your favorite historic building in Carthage (older than 1973) and why?
I love the Tyson-Sinclair building for the beautiful staircase. I am excited that the new owners are preserving the building and using its space to grow small businesses.
Kevin Lewis
Mr Lewis is one of three candidates running for Mayor of Carthage
We presented Mr Lewis, and all Carthage candidates, with the following seven questions.
Mr. Lewis responded in a narrative format in two emails. His answer in its entirety follows the questions. Emphasis has been added.
Please state your views on the role of historic preservation and our historic resources in the future of Carthage.
What will be your top three priorities to ensure the preservation of Carthage’s historic buildings, sites and neighborhoods?
Would you support the creation of a Historic Preservation Plan in Carthage?
Carthage currently has a National Register District, that terminates north of the traffic circle and does not include the historic structures around the courthouse. Would you support the town finding ways financially to help extend the national register district south along McReynolds Street so historic property owners in the currently excluded area would be eligible for state and/ or federal tax credits?
The previously mentioned Carthage National Register District offers no protection to existing historic structures. Although the town passed an ordinance to establish a Local Historic District Overlay to help protect Carthage’s historic buildings, that district was never created. This leaves many of Carthage’s historic structures unprotected and at risk of being demolished if the owner wishes without any oversight. How would you support ensuring that the Local Historic District is created?
Would you support the establishment of a historic preservation tax abatement? This could be a 10-15 year abatement to incentivize historic preservation anywhere in the town. Why or why not?
What is your favorite historic building in Carthage (older than 1973) and why?
I support the preservation of the Victorian architecture in Carthage. An overlooked architectural style is the Arts and Crafts or Craftsman style. We have many beautiful examples in Carthage on S McNeill Street and two on Dowd Street. I own one of them. We should preserve our Craftsman houses from the first half of the 20th century.
The African-American neighborhoods on Needmore and Dowd Streets should be addressed. Many of the houses have been demolished and are now unrecorded even in photographs.
Tax credits are another issue that should be addressed. I qualified for the Aging in Place program of Habitat for Humanity but I had to withdraw my application because the windows to be replaced by Habitat would not match my other windows.
I should mention that I am writing a history of Carthage for the Images of America series.
I support historic preservation because we will never see the unique styles and decoration again.
I live in what I regard as a historic house in the African-American section of Carthage built in 1912 by the Goins family. A smaller version built by a Goins brother exists across the street. I live on Dowd Street.
As for a Superfund to support historic restoration, I support it but I can see that the public in Carthage is skeptical. I support tax credits. I don't get any support to fix my house and put about $35,000 into the house already.
I am writing a history of Carthage for Images of America for no money except for eight percent royalties so I am invested in Carthage history.
My favorite building is the Hurley Thompson office on Monroe Street [PPG note for clarity: officially know as The J.P. Sinclair House].
