LUMBERTON — Eight people filed for office in the Nov. 5 municipal elections on Wednesday, including two mayors who want to keep their seats, and a Maxton commissioner who wants the mayor’s seat.

Only two candidates provided information to The Robesonian.

The filing period, which began on July 5, ends on Friday at noon.

In Rowland, Michelle Shooter filed for another two-year term as mayor .

Originally from from Greenville, she has lived in Robeson County for 14 years. She received her bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from North Carolina State University in 2003 and completed her master’s in Agricultural and Extension Education at the university in 2013.

In 2007 she took a position with Robeson County Cooperative Extension as a livestock agent, and in 2013 became a plant pest specialist for the North Carolina Department of Agriculture.

She and her husband, Pat, have two children, Jackson, 9, and Addie, 6.

She currently serves as the Women’s Committee chair for the Robeson County Farm Bureau. She attends Rowland First Baptist Church, where she teaches Sunday School and helps with the youth group. She is the first female to serve on the Robeson County Farm Bureau board of directors, volunteers as a leader of the 4-H Animal Science Club, is a member of the Lumberton Junior Service League, and served as a young advocate for Southeastern Regional Medical Center.

”I want to serve Rowland, to be a great connector and communicator,” she said. “Rowland is a special town with positive attributes. I would like to work with the citizens and town board to ensure the future is bright for all citizens.”

Allen Jean Love filed for re-election to the Rowland Board of Commissioners, which has two seats available. She is the first to file for the board. Terms are for four years.

In Maxton, Commissioner Victor Womack filed for the mayor’s seat, which is now held by Chip Morton, who has not yet filed for re-election.

Womack has been on the board for nearly 10 years, having been elected twice and appointed once.

Womack, 68, retired in 1999 from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, serving in federal law enforcement for 26 years. He has a degree in Criminal Justice from Nassau Community College in New York and a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Social Welfare from The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. He is a Vietnam War veteran.

Womack is pastor steward at St. Matthews AME Zion Church. He is married to Isabella Womack and they have three sons, Victor Jr., Vevus and Terrell.

Womack wants to get rid of dilapidated homes, create jobs, bring in business and establish a chamber of commerce.

“Maxton is a nice little town — two hours from the beach and two hours from the mountains — but it’s poverty stricken,” Womack said. “I would like to see the town grow faster than the way it is. Maxton is slowly gaining progress but it needs to go a little more faster. If I’m fortunate enough to become mayor, I would like to have a team to hit the ground running and make some very positive changes.”

William Harold Seate filed as a challenger for one of three seats on the Maxton Board of Commissioners, joining Paul McDowell, an incumbent, who had already done so.

In Red Springs, Edward “Chub” Henderson filed for a second two-year term as mayor, and so far is the only candidate for that seat.

C.L. Edmonds became the second challenger to file for one of three seats on the Red Springs Town Council, joining Sandra Wilson. Incumbent Shearlie McBryde also has filed. Terms are for four years.

In Fairmont, Cassandra Gail Gaddy became the second incumbent commissioner to file for one of three available seats, which carry four-year terms. Charles Kemp is the other to file. No challengers have filed.

In Parkton, David Register became the sixth person to file for five seats on the Board of Aldermen, joining incumbents Robin Hill, Tony McVickers and Doris Underwood, and challengers John Mitchell Matt and Christopher Paul Carlson. The terms are for two years.

Shooter
https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/web1_Michelle-Shooter20171212184755734.jpgShooter

Womack
https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/web1_victor-womack.jpgWomack

Staff report