Carthage Town Commission Candidate Interviews
The Pines Preservation Guild reached out to the six candidates who have filed for Carthage Town Commission in the November 2021 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 six 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.
John McDonald
We presented Mr. McDonald, and all Carthage candidates, with the following same eight questions shown below.
Mr. McDonald responded in a narrative format. His answer in its entirety follows the questions.
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?
Although the town has the power to establish a Local Historic District 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. What is your approach to making sure buildings important to Carthage’s community heritage are protected?
Would you support the establishment of a town capital fund to pay for the preservation of historic public spaces and infrastructure (i.e. steps, alleys, certain streetscapes, bridges, walls, trees, fences, curbs, streets, etc….)? Why or why not? If so, what size fund would you recommend?
What is your hope for the future of the Tyson & Jones Buggy Building?
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 and why?
Preserving historical buildings can be a reminder of the past. However many buildings that are old have limited use except to look at and learn from those that created the building. Having restored a historic building, I am well aware of the cost to correct long neglected maintenance and make the building functional for current use. As for the Tyson and Jones office building, I am well aware of its condition having surveyed it while on the Carthage Historic Committee. In summary, each building should be analyzed to make a determination for preservation. Having grown up in Carthage, I know that many of the buildings at had historical significance have been destroyed or converted to other uses that have destroyed their historical significance.
When I am elected I will help with preservation as I have in the past by looking at each building on case by case basis for need and feasibility for preservation.
George Wilson
1.Please state your views on the role of historic preservation and our historic resources in the future of Carthage.
Like any other aspect of history, historic preservation of our landmarks buildings and other resources is very important to the future of all Carthage residents.
2. What will be your top three priorities to ensure the preservation of Carthage’s historic buildings, sites, and neighborhoods?
I have but one priority as pertaining to the true history of Carthage in general: that it is recorded and preserved without revision. Revisionist history is full of untruths, half-truths and serious omissions.
3.Would you support the creation of a Historic Preservation Plan in Carthage?
To the best of my knowledge, a plan was in the development stages when I lost my commissioner’s seat in the 2019 Mayoral race. I have not had the opportunity to see if it was completed and implemented.
4. Although the town has the power to establish a Local Historic District 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 town input. What is your approach to making sure buildings important to Carthage’s community heritage are protected?
I have to disagree with the assumption that there is not a Historic District in the Town of Carthage, because there is one in existence. If there are structures that need to be added to the district or annexed into the district, I support that effort.
*PPG Note: According to the State Historic Preservation Office, Carthage has a National Historic District, but no Local Historic District
5. Would you support the establishment of a town capital fund to pay for the preservation of historic public spaces and infrastructure (i.e. steps, alleys, certain streetscapes, bridges, walls, trees, fences, curbs, streets, etc….)? Why or why not? If so, what size fund would you recommend?
I do not support a capital fund for this purpose, but I do support seeking grants and alternative funding sources for historic preservation. The tax burden for Carthage residents is approaching an unsustainable level, I don’t feel the budget can be expanded to the potential level.
6. What is your hope for the future of the Tyson & Jones Buggy Building (TJBB)?
I am a voting member of the Carthage Century Committee (CCC), a non-profit 501 3c organization that was created to help in various ways to enhance the economic development of the Carthage area. One of those efforts was to assist the Town of Carthage to purchase and preserve the TJBB. We have also sponsored the many murals with a historic theme that grace the walls buildings around the town. The Carthage Mural Committee, of which I am a past chairman, is a subcommittee of the CCC.
7.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?
I will not support a tax abatement as a historic preservation effort, this is the similar situation as capital funding. The shortfall from the abatement should not be placed more of a burden on taxpayers.
8.What is your favorite historic building in Carthage and why?
My favorite historic building in Carthage has not been granted historic status as of yet. It is the former home of Rev. Dr. Henry David Wood a single-family home on Dowd St. adjacent to the John Hall Presbyterian Church campus. Dr. Wood was a Union veteran that was commissioned to plant Presbyterian churches among the recently freed African Americans. He founded John Hall and held services for the first time in October 1884. He is mentioned in Dr. Jill D. Snider’s recent non-fiction book, “The making of a Black Inventor and Entrepreneur”, the story of the life and times of Lucean Arthur Headen. Headen was a former Cartrhage resident and parishioner at Dr. Wood’s Church.
Brent Tanner
1.Please state your views on the role of historic preservation and our historic resources in the future of Carthage.
I am an ardent believer that the historical buildings, resources, and history are vital components of the local community. While some municipalities focus on new developments, subdivisions, and standardized planning methods, Carthage has a unique history that is reflected in the buildings that still remain and the people who call it home. Part of separating Carthage from other communities is the maintenance and preservation of the buildings that remain from decades or even a century ago as opposed to the removal for the sake of a parking lot or new brick and mortar.
2. What will be your top three priorities to ensure the preservation of Carthage’s historic buildings, sites, and neighborhoods?
My first priority will be to make sure that the town commission has a focus centered around the development, improvement, and preservation of the current historic buildings and neighborhoods without the demolition, destruction, or removal of the meaningful places that carry the history and tradition of Carthage. Part of that focus is to make sure that the decisions of the town commission do not cause planning approvals that cause a decay in that history or create things that cause a spiral towards the removal of such historical buildings, sites, and neighborhoods. For instance, while places such as Little River are nice focal points for discussion, it should not cause the local government to overlook the mainstay of Carthage, which is its downtown sector and the historical residences that circle around the downtown. Secondly, the town needs to seek and obtain grant funding in order to have the current historical buildings and sites renovated and improved but in a manner that does not redefine what the actual historical location entails. Finally, the town needs to attract people and professionals to the community who want to not only invest in the historical buildings and sites but also remain here as the best stewards of our history are the people who decide to call Carthage their permanent home.
3. Would you support the creation of a Historic Preservation Plan in Carthage?
I would absolutely support the creation of the Historic Preservation Plan. There is already a group of local individuals and leaders in the community who discuss the issues so it would be a natural transition into a specifically defined Plan.
4. Although the town has the power to establish a Local Historic District 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. What is your approach to making sure buildings important to Carthage’s community heritage are protected?
My approach is to make sure that there are reasons and incentives to cause people who own such historic structures to keep those structures in the historical sense as opposed to demolishing the buildings for less compelling reasons. I think part of that approach is ensuring that if a local owner of a historic building is wanting to sell a property, that the town assist in the search for a buyer who has the desire to maintain the historical components of the structure. It is also important that the historical buildings in the town not sit empty. Those are the buildings that are usually the first to be demolished, either by decay or by some necessity due to a lack of attention. To that effect, the town must do a better job of incentivizing the owners to repurpose those buildings into some purpose or entity that has longevity and variety. For instance, there are historical buildings in Carthage that have sat empty for months but have the capability of having businesses that would enable the citizens of Carthage to experience things that require them to travel 15-20 minutes away to our towns to the south.
5. Would you support the establishment of a town capital fund to pay for the preservation of historic public spaces and infrastructure (i.e. steps, alleys, certain streetscapes, bridges, walls, trees, fences, curbs, streets, etc.….)? Why or why not? If so, what size fund would you recommend?
I would support this fund so long as the funds are actually utilized for the projects, so long as it does not create a further tax burden on the local citizens, and so long as the spending is completely transparent for the average citizen. In any such capital fund, there needs to be a very detailed planning structure behind what the fund will look like, such as how the funds will be collected, the length of any such fund’s period for use, the need for the community’s constant involvement in decisions related to the expenditures of the fund, and the assurance that the town capital fund is not utilized in a manner to pay administrative overhead versus the actual projects that the fund is intended to go towards. Most importantly, I believe that the local voters in Carthage should have the final decision on whether such a fund is created, preferably through a local referendum or series of open meetings for a comprehensive discussion.
6. What is your hope for the future of the Tyson & Jones Buggy Building?
It is my hope that the Tyson & Jones Buggy Building will be fully renovated and turned into a historical and educational piece for the community. I will say that I have heard wishes, rumors, and objections to the building being a local bar or meeting place. While I support more of that growth in the community, I think that the significance of the history in that building supersedes the use of that building for such an establishment.
7. 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?
I 100% approve of this. There are already tax incentives which exist at the statewide level that allow for certain improvements to historical buildings to be improved. One thing that is certain is that in order to repair, preserve, and even improve historic buildings, it will cost a fair sum of money. By creating such an abatement for historic preservation, you will further augment the owner’s ability to preserve and improve those properties instead of letting them fall into decay. Of course, these tax abatements would need to have scrutiny to make sure that the property is actually undergoing a historic preservation as opposed to just a modernized remodel in which the actually historical components of the location are lost to the contemporary aspects. Put differently, any such historic preservation tax abatements would need to ensure that the owner had a responsibility to actually undertake the preservation as opposed to using it as a means sidestep the payments made by other local citizens.
8. What is your favorite historic building in Carthage and why?
My house. I live in the JC Black House in downtown Carthage, which is part of the National Registry of Historical Places. As such, to say that I have a vested interest in maintaining historical buildings and the historical components of downtown Carthage is certain. I have personally invested a lot of time and money into the property because it is absolutely important to me that the local community continue to have that property in the manner akin to its historical status. Moreover, it is vitally important to me that the historical buildings which surround my home continue to have their meaningful tradition. I have lived in a city of newly built structures before and I can attest that those communities do not have the character, significance, history, or stories to tell like Carthage.
