Congressman Tim Moore highlights accessibility, collaboration at reception for Burke leaders

Elected officials serving Burke County, from local to federal levels, filed into the City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium Thursday, Feb. 19, to network and hear remarks from U.S. Rep. Tim Moore.

The Elected Officials Recognition Reception, hosted by the Burke County Chamber of Commerce, intends to strengthen relationships among those who serve the residents of Burke County, while also reaffirming leaders’ commitment to the growth, vitality, and future of the county.

“We are fortunate to live and work in a community where collaboration matters. The decisions made at the local, state, and federal levels directly impact our businesses, our schools, our infrastructure, and our quality of life,” said Tonya Little, member of the chamber’s board of directors and associate vice chancellor for academic programs at North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics-Morganton.

Moore emphasized the importance of that collaboration, adding that for the first time in several years, residents and leaders now have a congressional office in Morganton.

“We want to be accessible anytime,” Moore said. “Whether it’s grants you’re working on, anything at all with the federal government, let us be a resource to help you. We really do value that, whether the schools, the community college, the towns, the county, you name it, let us do that.”

Moore also recognized members of the North Carolina General Assembly, Rep. Hugh Blackwell and Sen. Warren Daniel, who were present at the event.

“I served with both of these gentlemen for years in the General Assembly, and I can tell you they are absolutely selfless. They take their time, they spend a lot of time in Raleigh, they spend time in the community. They love this area,” Moore said.

“You really are fortunate that you have these two men who are willing to step up and spend so much time to fight for Burke County,” he said.

From Glen Alpine to Longview, Little recognized each elected official from long-time representatives to those newly elected. Newly elected Valdese councilwoman Shannon Radabaugh expressed her appreciation for the Valdese and greater Burke County community.

“My husband and I traveled for many years while we were in the service, and so when we chose Valdese to be our home, we knew that it was very important to be in a place to raise our children and we wanted to be in an environment where we knew could grow,” Radabaugh said.

Newly elected alderman for Glen Alpine, Chad Wykle, represented the town at the recognition, accompanied by his wife, Rebecca. The couple, originally from the region, left to live in Chattanooga, Tenn., but knew they would eventually come back home to Glen Alpine.

“We knew we were coming back home from the moment we left, and the last five years before we came back to North Carolina, we couldn’t wait to get here,” Wykle said. “I’m so proud of this county, proud to be back, and looking forward to serving this community.”