Name as it appears on the ballot: Jessie Bellflowers

Previous elected offices held: Hope Mills Commissioner, two terms (2017-2021); Hope Mills Mayor (2023-current)

Age as of Election Day: 69

Occupation (employer, where you work, what you do): Fayetteville Technical Community College Department Chair, General Business Administration/Leadership Studies; United States Army (Retired – 26-year career)

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1. Give us your elevator pitch in 200 words or less. Why are you running for this office? What makes you the most qualified candidate?

Service to community has always inspired me to run for public office. After serving 26 years in the U.S. Army (service to country), our family decided to retire in 2003 to the Hope Mills community. As the town continues to be a fast-growing community, issues like public safety, residential and economic development growth, parks and recreational opportunities, along with heavy traffic congestion are important community conversations that motivate me to seek re-election for a second term. What citizens want in elected officials is for them to be honest, have integrity and to just present the facts and let citizens make an informed decision based on what those facts are. That’s what citizens are looking for. Just be open and approachable!

Every day, I am committed to enriching the lives of our citizens by creating an exceptional community in which to live and work, providing exemplary services that enable our community to thrive and prosper while leading our community as one we are proud to call home. This is my pledge as we go forward. My motivation to continue serving a second term as Mayor are to provide Vision – Leadership – Experience. My attendance from 2017-2021 as town commissioner and 2023 – current as mayor is 100%.

2. What do you view as the three most pressing issues facing Hope Mills? How will you address them as mayor or as a commissioner?

Hope Mills is one of the fastest-growing municipalities in North Carolina, with over 18,000 residents. Like many small towns, our community has several main challenges: providing superior services, public safety, managing smart growth regarding residential and economic development, community parks, limited recreational programs and opportunities, and major traffic congestion. Infrastructure is another issue to address along with the various roadway widening projects.

Managing public safety and smart growth regarding residential and economic development, while maintaining the sense of small-town charm, are several of the town’s biggest challenges as we continue to build a family-oriented community all of us are proud of today and for years to come! Another is parks and recreational opportunities.

To effectively address these issues, we must have the courage to engage in smart growth planning strategies regarding future development with a sustainable, visionary long-term comprehensive strategic plan. Currently, two long-range plans are in play: a Comprehensive Strategic 5-10-20 year Plan and Hope Mills Area Land Use Plan. These two plans will work in concert to address smart future residential and commercial growth along the I-95 – Exit 41 and future I-295 bypass gateway areas. During my term as mayor, we created the Hope Mills Economic Development Committee made up of major stakeholders and citizens from our community to address future smart growth planning strategies.

3. What’s the best or most important thing the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners has done in the past year? Additionally, name a decision you believe the board should have handled differently. Please explain your answers.

Over the past year, the town board has had several significant accomplishments, as well as next year’s opportunities toward building a culture of continuous improvement and quality of life for residents and businesses.

Accomplishments that are particularly noteworthy are tied to establishing the Hope Mills Economic Development Committee and its importance to managing smart future residential and commercial growth in the community along the I-95 – Exit 41 and future I-295 bypass gateway areas in concert with a comprehensive strategic 5-10-20 year plan and Hope Mills Area Land Use Plan. Several others are School Resource Officer (SRO) program; completion of Heritage Park Phase 1 and Reid’s Journey Children’s All-Inclusive Playground; roadway repairs on Deaver Circle (these repairs affect thousands of residents who travel on this roadway); and opening the Police Department 24/7. This is crucial because crime, emergencies, and public safety needs do not adhere to a 9-to-5 schedule. Round-the-clock operations ensure that officers can provide continuous, reliable service to prevent crime, respond to crises, and always maintain order.

One project the town board could have improved on was boardroom improvements. The boardroom upgrade involves a multi-pronged approach, focusing on the equipment. This project should have been funded long before now but was one of several capital improvement projects included in the current budget.

4. With the recent county tax revaluation, property taxes have gone up for many people. If elected, what would you do to address concerns from Hope Mills residents about higher tax bills while maintaining town services?

During the remainder of this fiscal year, one key strategy is a full review of all town departments to identify opportunities for increased efficiency. By optimizing operations, the town can maintain or even improve essential services that support a lower property tax rate. Another strategy would be to re-evaluate and prioritize all planned and future capital projects. Projects not critical to providing essential services should be frozen or deferred. Another strategy is a full re-evaluation of all town staff positions and salaries are appropriate and compensation is commensurate with the position and sustainable.

Other key strategies would be to re-evaluate current and future revenue streams by researching state and federal grant funding that can offset spending and reduce reliance solely on the property tax rate. The town should target grants that cover public safety, recreational opportunities, and specifically infrastructure projects. For example, public-private partnerships with local businesses to fund public projects. Partnerships can also include initiatives to develop and/or improve our town parks.

Another key strategy would encourage responsible and smart commercial growth that can broaden the town’s tax base to reduce the financial burden on taxpayers. Developing a smart commercial tax base would bring in additional revenue to fund essential services to lower the property tax rate in the next fiscal year.

5. The town board recently voted to establish four-year terms for the mayor and commissioners. Do you agree or disagree with this decision to move away from two-year terms, and why? If you disagree, what do you intend to do about it, if elected?

As of 2024, most of North Carolina’s 550+ municipalities have four-year staggered terms for their governing boards. While a few still have two-year terms, the trend in recent years has been to adopt four-year staggered terms for continuity. In 2024, the Raleigh City Council voted to switch from two-year terms to four-year staggered terms starting in 2026. The Town of Spring Lake adopted straight four-year terms for the entire board beginning in December 2025.

Adopting staggered four-year terms ensures experienced elected officials are always on the dais and can guide new board members in protocol and decision-making. Advantages are that staggered terms would prevent a complete turnover of the town board, leading to a loss of institutional knowledge, consistent leadership, and a steep learning curve, all which are detrimental to town operations and citizens of our Hope Mills community. The loss of continuity would directly impact two long-range plans that are in play: a comprehensive strategic 5-10-20 year plan and Hope Mills Area Land Use Plan. These two plans will work in concert to address smart future residential and commercial growth along the I-95 – Exit 41 and future I-295 bypass gateway areas.

6. How will you work to attract and retain new businesses and other development to Hope Mills? Name another municipality you believe has made smart decisions about sustainable growth and development, and describe what it has done that could be implemented in Hope Mills.

During my term as mayor, we created the Hope Mills Economic Development Committee made up of major stakeholders and citizens from our community to address future smart growth planning strategies. One of the anchor members is our Hope Mills Chamber of Commerce. The chamber holds monthly luncheons and workshops for businesses and non-profits! Small businesses often reinvest in their local communities, supporting local charities, schools, and events.

The Hope Mills community prides itself on building and growing partnerships – with regional and state governments to achieve our vision. When small businesses invest in our community and we prioritize local projects and businesses, this partnership strengthens the very quality of life fabric of Hope Mills. For example, The Town of Knightdale, with robust input from all stakeholders, has developed a proactive strategy to augment its citizens’ future quality of life.

Community partners and citizens working together to develop a sustainable comprehensive strategic plan to address both short- and long-term vision is key to providing policy guidance for future economic growth and development that helps make the town a more workable, livable, and prosperous community.

Also, during the past two years, the town established a Town Planning and Development Oversight group made up of all town department heads to review and provide input into smart economic growth coming to the Hope Mills area. This group meets weekly.

7. Nonprofits are seeing homeless encampments popping up in Hope Mills. What is needed to tackle homelessness in town, and how would you work to implement these solutions?

Several years ago, some non-profit businesses contacted the Hope Mills Police Department about seeing some homeless encampments popping up in certain areas around the community. The police department investigated these claims and worked successfully in conjunction with the non-profit organization ALMS House of Hope Mills (Associated Local Ministries in Service Helping Others in Unfortunate Situations and Experiences) which was established in 1984 by local ministries dedicated to giving back and providing those less fortunate in our community. The ALMS House provides Hope Mills homeless population with daily feedings as well as access to a food pantry, clothing closet, household & sanitary items, financial assistance and Kids Assistance Programs.

In 2023, The Town of Hope Mills established a partnership with the Fayetteville/Cumberland Continuum of Care on Homelessness, or CoC, a non-profit organization that is a facilitator of service regarding homelessness prevention and intervention referral service that partners with the City of Fayetteville, local agencies, and nonprofits to support the population impacted by homelessness. The mission of CoC is to make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring. As a result of the partnership, the ALMS House is now considered to be an access point to the CoC for homeless residents in the Hope Mills area. In 2025, the town established a Hope Mills Homeless Advisory Committee to work in concert with the CoC and the ALMS House.