1. Briefly tell us a little bit about your background: How long you've been in the county, family, interests, etc.

ounty in 1998 — he initially lived in Summit Cove and then moved to Dillon in 2004. His real-estate office is also located in downtown Dillon. Real estate brought Smith to Summit from Ohio because he knew the county had great growth potential.

Smith and his wife, Janelle, have two boys — 3-year-old Joey and 1-year-old Josh and when the Dillon Realtor isn't working or running for town council, Smith said he loves to be outdoors and spend time with his family.

2. What is the main reason you want to be on council?

Smith wants to be a member of Dillon's town council because he “really believes in the Town of Dillon.”

“I think it has great potential and with that potential is the need for good leadership,” he said. “I think there's a lot of projects on the horizon. They need to be overseen (and) directed.”

According to Smith, the town's urban renewal plan is “positive” but it needs to have good direction. He said it should to be done “properly” and “the greater good needs to be acknowledged.”

“I want to have good public input and good communication,” he added. “I've always thought Dillon's the last great place in the county — there's still so much potential that's untapped.”

3. What do you see as the top three issues for your town?

Smith listed the top three issues for Dillon include: 1) Downtown revitalization — like bringing residents into the core area to support local businesses; 2) The future of the marina — “I think it's such a unique asset to the community and to the county as a whole;” and 3) Being fiscally responsible in all town spending and capital projects to maintain a healthy and sustainable budget

4. Do you have the time and flexibility it takes to be a truly engaged council member?

“Yes, I'm self employed,” Smith said. “I make my own schedule. I have an office downtown, and I'm basically in the heart of Dillon.”

5. How do you see the role of a town council member, in relating to the other council members, town staff and community members?

Smith stated that taking a

collaborative, problem-solving approach is key when working with other council members, town staff and community members.

“As far as community members, I believe a council person needs to be approachable and able to understand the issues of the community,” he added.

6. What other organizations have you been active in?

Smith was on the board for the Summit Association of Realtors in 2006 and 2007. He currently serves on the Dillon Police Citizen's Advisory Panel (2008-present) and he recently joined the Dillon Business Association.

7. How do you keep urban renewal from being just another plan on the shelf?

Smith's vision for urban renewal in town “would be a real, pedestrian-friendly village with a mix of retail and residential.”

“Right now it's very difficult for retail to thrive in downtown Dillon,” he said. “There's no retail-base area in downtown Dillon, no real direction.”

In terms of keeping the plan moving forward instead of sitting on “a shelf,” Smith said he wants to learn the “mechanics of it, how it really works and how it can be utilized,” and then he'll figure out how to put it to work for the town.

“I think it's probably suited for the downtown area,” Smith added.

8. What kinds of new businesses would you like to see come to town?

According to Smith, he'd like to see businesses come to Dillon that can take advantage of its unique location on the lake, as well as its position between Keystone and Interstate 70, and the recpath corridor.

“We have all these things that bring people through and around Dillon,” he said, noting that these key attributes — great accessibility and a central location in the county — should influence the town's business community and the town's future.