About Sarah

Sarah is recognized as a no-nonsense leader who has dedicated her professional and personal life to serving the greater good.  Known for her bold leadership, her ability to see the bigger picture, and her determination and willingness to carry the team across the finish line when necessary, Sarah is well equipped to tackle the challenges facing our community.  Her fiscal policies and common sense solutions have turned around organizations and established them as leaders within the community and allowed them to prosper and perform their vital missions resulting in positive impact for thousands of recipients.

Sarah and her family relocated to Charlotte in 2008 and have grown strong roots in the heart of District 5.  Hailing from a rural town in Maine and the daughter of a small business owner, Sarah developed values around family, country and faith, which have provided a foundation upon which to build a life of service.  Sarah is married to Damon, and they have two children who attend school in the CMS System. They are members of Forest Hill Church and actively serve in their community in a variety of volunteer capacities.

Click HERE for a full biography.

Click HERE for Sarah’s qualifications.

Principles:

Below are the principles that guide Sarah and will direct her leadership as she represents District 5 on the Mecklenburg County Commission:

FAMILY:  The family is the most important institution in America, the foundation of our nation’s greatness. It is through family that we most effectively equip our children with the vital instruments necessary to navigate our world. Within the family context and structure children are taught, first and best, the importance of responsibility and self-reliance. Family is where honesty is extolled as the “best policy”, where hard work is promoted as the key ingredient in individual success, where civility and respect for authority are required, and where personal responsibility and the burden of accepting the consequences of one’s actions are “caught, not just taught” as parents assume their designated place as chief role models for our youth. In short, it is not the responsibility of the “village” to raise the child but that of parents.

RESPONSIBILITY:  As representatives of the taxpayer, it is our duty, honor and primary responsibility to hold ourselves accountable to the people we represent. It is unconscionable for elected officials to minimize or shirk this duty. It should never be forgotten that every dollar obtained by our government to sustain itself, either locally or nationally, is a dollar taken from a hardworking tax-paying citizen.  Thus, we must use that dollar wisely, asking the same “tough questions” about public expenditures that we ask concerning our private budgets at home. We must thoroughly examine, discuss and outline the cost effectiveness and risk, both short and long term, that is associated with every decision to spend taxpayer money.

INTEGRITY: High moral character must be expected of and faithfully maintained by every elected official who is honored to represent “the people” in public office. This character must be proven by conducting our private and public lives with dignity, respect, honor, honesty, excellence and discipline. These are the cornerstones of trust within relationships, both personal and public. If we do not manifest these virtues in daily interactions and decision-making, we break that fragile trust, erode the foundations of effective working relationships, and foster an overall environment of disharmony.

VALUES: As citizens of this great nation, we all affirm and enjoy the inalienable rights enumerated by our Declaration of Independence, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all individuals. Yet we must never forget that these rights must be constantly, vigilantly guarded. This requires intense personal responsibility on the part of citizens to preserve actively that form of limited government which ensures those rights. If we do not, we expose ourselves to those who would assume illegitimate or unconstitutional power and exact control over our daily lives, our actions and personal decisions. Allowing this would show that we do not ultimately value our liberty. Freedom is costly. One need only count the lives spent to preserve it throughout our history. That stated, every sound-minded individual residing within our borders is responsible for his/her own actions and is bound to abide by and uphold the laws set forth by our government.  When we behave as if we are exempt from those laws, or when we assume we are entitled to favored status, it shows we respect neither our country nor our neighbors.

VISION: It has often been observed that, without vision, people perish. To perish means to wither away into a meaningless existence, with no ultimate dream or sense of destiny. It is an existence without hope or purpose. The best vision for America’s future can be found in her history, rich with ingenuity, creativity, passion, persistence and a solid work ethic. These have paved our nation’s path to prosperity and have helped ensure a better life for one’s children. America can still be the “land of opportunity” and a nation of unlimited possibilities for all peoples who share this vision, whether native-born or foreign-born. To see our country excused for its greatness is an affront to those who have given their lives to honor our ideals.

TEAMWORK: As District 5 commissioner, I will represent only a portion of the population served by our commission as a whole body; however, it is critical that this body work collectively and synergistically to ensure that it addresses the growing challenges now threatening our community’s overall prosperity. Both sides of the coin agree on the need to reduce unemployment and put our residents back to work in jobs that provide a range of benefits. We agree we must create an environment that encourages businesses and families to invest in our county and to participate actively in changing our future. We agree on the need to reduce the crime in our streets and ensure that our children receive the best education possible, graduating from high school prepared to take the next step as responsible adults. To achieve these essentials for a prosperous community, we must lay aside personal agendas, shelve our egos, listen carefully to one other, and resolve to work together to serve the best interests of our community.

LEADERSHIP: Effective leadership is best exemplified by the trust they create as they lead and influence those around them. To that effect, leadership is not coercive, manipulative or exacting. Rather it is optimistic, visionary and sacrificial. America’s greatest leaders chart courses for a better tomorrow, courageously making decisions unhindered by status quo or peer pressure. Effective leaders embrace fresh ideas that can reap a generous harvest for future generations and they seek innovative solutions to the challenges of their time. Leadership means outlining a vision and then articulating that vision in order to inspire and excite. We must be quick to recognize and highlight the diverse values and strengths that all leaders bring to the table.