Vivian Jones

Title: Mayor

Municipality: Town of Wake Forest

Position Interested In: Second Vice President

Tell us why you would like to serve in a leadership position at the League. In particular, specify goals you would like to accomplish as an officer or board member and indicate how, if attained, they will help to achieve Vision 2030 – the League’s future vision of how cities and towns will operate in 2030.

I believe the League is the best advocate for municipalities in North Carolina. The past few years I have been in a leadership position with ElectriCities and have not had the time to be a leader in the League. I am now able to spend the time and I feel the time I spend outside of Wake Forest would best be spent in conjunction with the League. There are so many issues facing municipalities today that could be addressed in cooperation with the Legislature. We need leaders who are willing to work with everyone, across the aisle and be sure North Carolina is positioned to take advantage of what the future will bring. I would like to work with positioning everyone to be able to use the technology available to enhance all areas of local government. I have always been an advocate of partnering with other towns and counties; working together is how we achieve success. We are all experiencing tremendous cultural and demographic changes; this is exciting and scary! But we must welcome these changes and figure out how to embrace them and discover how this can enhance our communities.

Tell us about your experience as a municipal official. You may want to include information on your service on the municipal governing body, other related boards and special areas of interest.

I have served as Wake Forest Mayor for 20 years; was elected last November for another 4-year term. This has been the most full-filling thing I have ever done in my life. Our town has grown from 3000 in 1981 when I first moved here to 12,000 in 2001 when I was first elected to 50,000 today. I have worked diligently to build and support a board that works together to make our town the best. We are AAA rated, thriving and loved by our residents. Prior to my election as mayor we had a negative mayor and town boards that argued and fought about everything. I ran for mayor because I believed our town deserved a positive leader. We now have a wonderful town full of people who love living here and recognize that their government cares for them and is doing everything we can to enhance their lives. I have worked a great deal with Wake County and other Wake County mayors to make our region the best it can be. With 12 municipalities in Wake County, we have a Mayors' Association and we meet and talk and share with each other; this has been true blessing for me. Serving with the League, ElectriCities, CAMPO and other groups has given me a better prospective about how we all need to be working together.

Tell us about your educational background, professional experience, and/or community or civic activities.

I completed a secretarial course at The Woman's College (now UNC-G) and worked several years in secretarial/administrative positions. I have 2 children and when they were born I stayed at home for the next 10 years taking care of them. Later I worked in administrative positions for several years; then my sister and I opened a small restaurant and catering business in downtown Wake Forest. We were very involved in downtown revitalization and the Chamber. I have always been active in my community and my church in all the places I have lived. I grew up in Randolph County, NC; lived in Ohio, Virginia and Florida and then returned to NC. I have always been involved in my community wherever I lived, belonged to civic clubs and church groups. See more here.

Have You Participated in Any NCLM Events or Committees?

CityVision Annual Conference
Town & State Dinner or Town Hall Days
Legislative Goals Planning Events or Process
Regional Meetings
Legislative Lobby Days
Legislative Policy Committee
Affiliate Organizations: NC Mayors Association

Please provide any other information you would like the Nominations Committee to consider.

As I stated before, being the mayor of Wake Forest has been the highlight of my life. I love this job and I want nothing more but to bring good things to Wake Forest. Being a leader in the League brings value to my community. That is why I wish to serve in this position. Thank you.