New Town Leadership Takes Seat as Outgoing Holly Springs (NC) Officials Reflect on Service, Community, and the Work Ahead
A standing-room-only crowd packed Town Hall to honor outgoing leaders, welcome newly elected officials, and start a new term focused on continued leadership and community engagement.
Publisher’s Note: (12/3/25, 9:32 AM) The story was updated to correct two misspellings.
Holly Springs, NC, Dec. 3, 2025 — Holly Springs marked a moment of transition Tuesday night as outgoing elected town officials offered reflections on their time in office before newly elected leaders took their oaths and were seated. The tone was one of gratitude, service, and clear recognition of both the town’s momentum and the responsibilities ahead.
Outgoing Council Member and Colonel Tim Forrest, USA, Ret. spoke first, delivering a steady, reflective farewell rooted in his decades of military service. He told the packed chambers that he approached his four-year term with the same principles he brought from the Army: “serve with purpose, lead with integrity, leave things better than you found them.” Forrest highlighted the challenges and accomplishments of a rapidly growing town, major road and safety projects, strengthening long-term infrastructure planning, and balancing development pressures with the community’s needs.
Next, Mayor Pro Tem Dan Berry, completing eight years on the council, spoke emotionally about the arc of his service, from the youngest council member in recent memory to a leader who helped modernize the town’s growth policies, champion tree preservation standards, and strengthen the town’s planning cadence. Berry reflected on how he entered public service “fed up with the growth the town experienced,” and how those early concerns shaped his advocacy for meaningful benefits for current residents, not just future ones. He thanked residents for their trust and noted the honor of helping guide Holly Springs through a decade of both intense development and civic progress.
Outgoing Mayor Sean Mayefskie closed the farewell remarks with an expression of gratitude for family, staff, and fellow council members. He shared that he “never missed a council meeting” in four years and acknowledged the sacrifices required. He praised the culture of teamwork within Town Hall, noting that the dedication of staff—“from Bobby the street sweeper to department heads”—is what transforms council policy into day-to-day results. He said he was grateful for “friendships made along the way” and congratulated the incoming council as they begin “the next chapter” for Holly Springs.
A New Council is Seated
Following the outgoing officials’ remarks, Mayor-elect Mike Kondratick, re-elected council member Annie Drees, and newly elected council members Sarah Larson and Kara Foster took their oaths of office. The chamber remained standing-room only as each embraced the moment, many with family by their side.
With the new council seated, members unanimously voted to appoint Annie Drees as Mayor Pro Tem.
Newly Elected Members Outline Priorities and Appreciation
As part of the evening’s tradition, Mayor Kondratick invited each newly seated member to share brief remarks:
Council Member Kara Foster
Foster spoke at length about her connection to Holly Springs and her gratitude for the community’s support:
“I just really appreciate everyone’s trust that you’ve put in me tonight. I want to represent everybody of Holly Springs,” she said. She spoke of raising her family in town for nearly 17 years and said she is “really excited to work with this group to move forward here now as a group and as a team working together to advance Holly Springs.”
Council Member Sarah Larson
Larson focused on collaboration and community engagement, saying:
“I’m here to represent you and everything that we do and work with my fellow council members and with our wonderful staff here in Holly Springs, and I’m looking forward to doing the hard work and working for y’all.”
Council Member Annie Drees
Drees echoed the energy of the room and the significance of public engagement:
“I’m just thrilled to see so many familiar faces here tonight. Thank you so much for being here. It means a lot… and I’m gonna echo what Councilmember Deshazor said to me when I came up here, let’s get to work.”
Mayor Mike Kondratick
Kondratick expanded on his vision for unity and civic participation, telling the crowd:
“It is just as important that we continue to grow together—that we become more tight-knit as a community.”
He encouraged residents to stay actively involved:
“Please continue to engage us as we move forward. Bring us your feedback. Bring us your questions. Bring us your complaints… It’s these conversations that help us understand how to represent you and make sure we are always focused on your needs.”
Continuing Council Members Welcome the New Class
Returning council members also joined in offering congratulations and setting expectations for the term ahead.
Council Member Chris Deshazor
Deshazor emphasized both excitement and workload:
“Welcome aboard. We’re very excited. I’m excited to have you here. We have a lot of work to do, as I’ve said over and over, and I’m really excited about it.”
Council Member Danielle Hewetson
As the meeting drew to a close, Council Member Danielle Hewetson offered remarks that helped frame the transition and the work ahead. In a moment that clearly resonated with many in attendance, she told her colleagues:
“I want to extend congratulations to the newly elected as well. Looking forward to the next couple of years working alongside all of you. There’s endless work to be done and not all of it’s fun, but it’s all important, and it’s all worth it. Holly Springs is worth it...”
Her comments underscored the night's shared theme of gratitude for service, optimism about the future, and recognition that the responsibility of governing Holly Springs is both substantial and meaningful.
Publisher's Note: (12/3/25, 9:32 AM) The story was updated to correct misspellings.
Great recap