Fuquay-Varina (NC) Town Board to interview four applicants to fill vacant commissioner seat tonight (1/12)
Four applicants will be interviewed in open session as the Town Board moves toward a January 20th vote to fill the Commissioner seat vacated by Mayor William Harris.
Fuquay-Varina, Jan. 12, 2025 — The Fuquay-Varina Board of Commissioners will hold a special meeting tonight to interview applicants seeking appointment to the Town Board seat vacated by William Harris following his election as mayor last year. The interviews will be conducted in an open session, and members of the public may attend in person.
The meeting is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. in the Town Board meeting room at Town Hall (map). While the interviews will not be live-streamed, they will be recorded for the public record. Under state law, the Board will appoint a replacement to serve the remainder of the term, which expires in December 2027. The selected appointee is also expected to attend the Board’s annual retreat in early February.
Four applicants submitted materials outlining their community service, short- and long-term vision for Fuquay-Varina, experience serving on boards and committees, and familiarity with the town’s council-manager form of government. Below is a summary of each applicant’s responses, presented in alphabetical order by last name and using a consistent format.
The Candidates
Qisoundra Flowers
Vision for Fuquay-Varina
Flowers framed her short- and long-term vision around inclusive, community-driven leadership. In the near term, she said, effective governance requires listening, immersion in town operations, and collaboration with residents, staff, and fellow commissioners. She identified water quality and supply as a top priority, emphasizing science-driven, environmentally responsible solutions and regional collaboration. Long-term, she advocated for balanced economic development, mixed-use and mixed-income opportunities, and improved engagement with residents within the town’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ).
Community service and involvement
Flowers described a long record of civic engagement focused on community well-being, cultural enrichment, and youth development. Her service includes volunteering with the Fuquay-Varina MLK Celebration, supporting town-wide events, serving on the Fuquay-Varina Black History Stakeholder Committee, and co-hosting community health, wellness, and college access events. She also cited work supporting unhoused residents through clothing and food drives.
Board and committee experience
Her service includes the Raleigh-Apex NAACP executive committee, United Arts Council panel work, the Fuquay-Varina Board of Adjustment, the Black History Stakeholder Committee, and leadership roles with arts and mediation organizations.
Council-manager familiarity
Flowers said her understanding of the system comes from attending town meetings, prior candidacy for commissioner, and service on the Board of Adjustment, where she applied ordinances, evaluated evidence, and followed quasi-judicial procedures.
Relevant experience
Flowers is an attorney and public health professional with experience in regulatory compliance, governance, mediation, and public health policy. Her background includes senior-level contract and legal work in highly regulated environments and service on multiple local and regional boards.
The candidate’s submitted document is available here.
Nolan Ray Perry
Vision for Fuquay-Varina
In the short term, Perry said the town should focus on executing existing plans, maintaining economic strength, ensuring public safety, and keeping infrastructure aligned with growth. He emphasized advocacy at the county and state levels to secure infrastructure funding. Long-term, his vision emphasizes consistency, fiscal stability, and follow-through, enabling Fuquay-Varina to grow intentionally while preserving its community character.
Community service and involvement
Perry cited extensive involvement with town organizations, including service on the Planning Board, Chamber of Commerce leadership, and directing the Fuquay-Varina Christmas Parade for several years. He described these roles as providing direct exposure to community priorities and town operations.
Board and committee experience
Perry currently serves on the Planning Board and has held leadership roles on multiple boards, including chairing the Chamber of Commerce and serving as chair of the Carolina Charter Academy board during periods of growth and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Council-manager familiarity
He cited his participation in Leadership Fuquay-Varina and his collaboration with town departments through his board service as providing working knowledge of the council-manager system.
Relevant experience
Perry is an attorney and managing partner at a local law firm, with prior experience as Chamber chair, Planning Board vice chair, and candidate for town commissioner. His background reflects long-term involvement in town governance and civic leadership.
The candidate’s submitted document is available here.
Larry W. Smith
Vision for Fuquay-Varina
Smith said his short-term focus would be completing current projects, including transportation improvements, downtown facilities, public safety infrastructure, and planning for future capital needs. He emphasized preparing land and infrastructure for future development along key corridors. Long-term, he said, the town must continue to address growth-related challenges while maintaining fiscal responsibility and public safety.
Community service and involvement
Smith previously served as a Fuquay-Varina town commissioner from 2019 to 2023 and as a member of the Planning Board. He also served on multiple town committees and civic organizations and described deep roots in the community.
Board and committee experience
In addition to prior service as a commissioner and Planning Board member, Smith cited extensive experience on state-level law enforcement and oversight bodies.
Council-manager familiarity
Smith described direct, hands-on experience working within the council-manager system during his prior term as commissioner and earlier service as chief of police.
Relevant experience
Smith is a retired law enforcement executive with decades of experience, including serving as Fuquay-Varina’s chief of police, senior leadership roles with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and prior elected service on the Town Board.
The candidate’s submitted document is available here.
Jeff Stevens
Vision for Fuquay-Varina
In the short term, Stevens said the town must manage rapid growth while strengthening infrastructure, particularly water supply and transportation, alongside continued investment in downtown vitality. His long-term vision centers on sustainable economic development, balancing growth with quality of life, advancing long-range roadway and infrastructure projects, and strategically expanding commercial activity, including the potential creation of a centralized business hub.
Community service and involvement
Stevens emphasized sustained involvement in civic and economic development organizations. He currently serves on the Fuquay-Varina Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, where he served as board chair in 2024, and on the town’s Planning Board. He also cited prior service on the Economic Development Commission, involvement with youth sports organizations, and experience mentoring student-athletes as a high school football coach.
Board and committee experience
Stevens highlighted his work on the Chamber of Commerce board, Planning Board, and Economic Development Commission as providing hands-on experience with growth management, business recruitment, and long-range planning.
Council-manager familiarity
He described the council-manager system as analogous to a corporate structure, with the board setting strategy and policy while professional management oversees day-to-day operations and execution.
Relevant experience
Stevens is a commercial banker with experience in accounting, financial analysis, and entrepreneurship, including founding and exiting two businesses. He has served on multiple local boards and currently sits on the Planning Board.
The candidate’s submitted document is available here.
What happens next
According to town officials, the selection process for the vacant commissioner seat followed a multi-step timeline approved by the Board in early December. Applications were accepted from December 2nd through December 19th, during which 12 residents submitted materials for consideration.
After individually reviewing and ranking all applications, the Board voted at its January 5th meeting to advance four applicants to the interview stage based on the combined rankings submitted by each commissioner. The four candidates selected for interviews were Qisoundra Flowers, Nolan Ray Perry, Larry W. Smith, and Jeff Stevens.
Interviews are scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. tonight and will be conducted in an open session. While the interviews will not be live-streamed, they will be recorded, and members of the public may attend in person. Each candidate will be asked the same set of questions to ensure a consistent and equitable evaluation process.
Following the interviews, the Board is expected to vote on an appointment at its January 20th meeting. If selected, the new commissioner is anticipated to be sworn in on February 2nd.