Macon GOP Opens New Headquarters

It really was a grand ole party as Macon County Republicans gathered to celebrate the grand opening of their headquarters on July 17. The office is located at 18 West Palmer St. in Franklin in the Palmer Street Shopping Center.

“We will use the headquarters as the place
for getting out information to inform the uninformed and to make calls, send emails to some of our people who may need a ride to
the polls or a reminder to return their absentee ballot,” Macon GOP Chairman Gary Dills said.

“The headquarters will provide a central point for the campaigns to coordinate signs and distribution of information – basically a place
to provide information to voters.”

Dills stressed that the office would not be
used as a call center to make mass callings
and said, “We believe those calls irritate
people and that’s not what we want to do.
We want people to vote.”

Bill Talbot and partners provided the building space at nominal costs, while Burket Farrell
and Chris Murray provided much work and support, Dills said. Dills thanked Jimmy Goodman, Bob and Helen Carpenter and
many others who helped get the office ready for the occasion. The Gem Country Republican Women decorated for the party and Macon GOP vice-chairman Vince West and his wife Mary offered the refreshments.

Vice-chairman West said the group is currently compiling the stance on issues by Republican candidates in order to provide the information to callers.

A meet-the-candidates event for all parties is being held Monday, Aug. 4 in Nantahala, West said. It will take place in the EMS building at 7 p.m.

Gubernatorial candidate visits Franklin

Pat McCrory, the GOP candidate for governor and current Mayor of Charlotte visited Macon County on July 3 as part of his “state wide jobs listening tour.”

He had lunch with about 50 Republican community leaders and discussed a variety of economic issues — such as the need to foster a supportive business environment across the state; the need for state of the art infrastructure (such as road systems, airfields, high speed internet); the need to be less dependent on foreign energy sources; and the importance of maintaining a high quality of life in the mountains.

McCrory plans to return to Macon County in the fall.