The People of Matthews: Mayor Paul Bailey

We asked a few people who work for the community of Matthews to share their thoughts and hopes for 2019. Here’s what Mayor Paul Bailey told us:

Photo from MatthewsNC.gov

Do you have a New Year's resolution? Spend more time focused on the important things in life.

What do you hope for in the new year? Continued health and increased time getting outside and enjoying our parks, greenways, and our great town.

What do you want to leave behind in the old year? Although I spent 41 years doing a job I loved, I will happily leave that behind in 2018. Time for new and different adventures.

What do you see foresee for Matthews in the coming year? We have a number of items I want to address in 2019. Foremost is to resolve the improvements to John St. with NCDOT and solidify the idea of traffic moving around the historic downtown rather than through it; getting the Trade St. bridge construction completed; getting aggressive in finding grants dollars to tie our greenways, bike trails, and sidewalks together to further develop our walkability and connectivity; and continue the vision for our historic downtown by encouraging a balance of residential and business uses so we can continue to see Matthews become a desirable place to live, work and play.    

Morning Minute: November 1, 2018

News About Town: It’s time for another breakfast (or coffee, or moment to simply say hi) with Mayor Paul Bailey this Saturday morning, November 3, at Miki's Restaurant (1819 Matthews Township Parkway) at 8:00 a.m. Lots has happened in Matthews this week and if you have questions it’s the perfect opportunity to find out Mayor Bailey’s perspective.

News Around Town: Yesterday morning the fire department responded to a three-car accident on John Street. This was the second three-car accident this week. Lula Pope Miller, a John Street resident in Monday’s accident, was taken to the hospital and later died. The accident yesterday, Wednesday, October 31, resulted in three people being taken to the hospital. Two of those injured sustained life-threatening injuries.

Vehicle in the Wednesday morning crash on John Street.

One Fun Thing: You let your own dogs out and head on over to Stumptown Park with them for Pawsitively Matthews this Saturday, November 3 from 10 AM until 4 PM. Visit the pet-friendly vendors, munch on some food truck goodies, and listen to music while appreciating the paw-positive vibes.

Take Me To Your Leaders: Meet the Town Manager

This post is Part III of a series explaining the roles of our leadership within municipal government. Part I: Meet your commissioners, Part II: Meet your mayor

The town manager is the CEO of the town staff.

Matthews operates as a municipal government with council-manager leadership. This means a body of town staff work alongside the Board of Commissioners to fulfill the policy decisions made by the Commissioners. The town manager is the designated head of town staff.

As an example, when it’s time to the renew solid waste service contract the town manager familiarizes himself with the proposals for presentation to the board. The board may have questions and the town manager (or public works) would best answer those questions. The board then votes for the best fit for the town and the manager then begins the process of renewing or signing the contract with that applicant.

What is the manager's role in Matthews? The Town Manager is the Chief Executive Officer for the Town of Matthews and works at the pleasure of the Board of Commissioners. (In plain-speak, our Town Council is in charge of hiring and firing the town manager.)  He is responsible for the general administration and operation of the Town which includes the public services that make the town tick: police, fire and EMS, public works, parks and recreation, human resources, finance, and planning.

Who is the Matthews Town Manager? Our Town Manager, Hazen Blodgett, has been with the Town of Matthews for 15 years and worked in local government for over 34 years. Hazen has a B.A. from Louisiana State University and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of North Carolina. Upon receiving his Masters Degree he went to work as the Assistant County Manager in Halifax County, NC.

Hazen is married with four kids. He lives in Matthews and is on the Board of the Matthews Rotary Club.  In his spare time, he enjoys mountain bike riding, yoga, beekeeping, and trips to the Matthews Farmers Market.

Take Me To Your Leaders: Meet your mayor

As Mayor of Matthews, I want to maintain our small town appeal by supporting all of the great things that make us a desirable community. I look forward to guiding us in making smart decisions as we evolve and continue to be the greatest town in North Carolina.

Matthews operates as a municipal government with council-manager leadership. A mayor is an elected leader of a municipal government. Under Council-Manager organization, though, the mayor is a symbolic figurehead, but does not hold more authority than other Board of Commissioners.

Who is the mayor of Matthews?

According to the town website, Mayor Paul Bailey received a BS in mechanical engineering from NC State, and a masters in mechanical engineering at the University of South Carolina. He's married and has 3 children and 3 grandchildren. Paul and his wife Sherrie have lived in Matthews for 34 years. Previously Bailey served on Matthews Board of Commissioners and the CMS Board of Education before being elected Mayor of Matthews in 2017.

What is the mayor's role in Matthews?

The Matthews Board of Commissioners use majority vote to approve or reject policies, adopt resolutions, among other duties for town-wide adoption. The mayor is a first among equals on the city council and his vote does not hold greater weight than other members of the Board. The mayor is, however, the first point of contact for the Town Manager when critical information should be conveyed to the Board. The mayor leads and mediates public meetings.

The Matthews Mayor is a part-time position, has a salary of $19,650 annually and a technology allowance of $3,600 per term. The position does not include benefits.