Behind ‘Step Up for Valdese’

Four Valdese residents have announced they will be on the municipal ballot this fall. The self-named ‘Step Up for Valdese’ campaign candidates say they are running to keep Valdese moving forward.

Councilwoman Melinda Zimmerman will run for Ward 2; Councilwoman Rexanna Lowman for Ward 3; Shannon Radabaugh for Ward 1; and Keith Huffman for Mayor.

To see their campaign website, visit https://stepup.valdese.info/. The website is paid for by the Step Up for Valdese PAC (political action committee).

The Paper reached out to the candidates to discuss their candidacy. What follows are abbreviated responses, edited for clarity. More detailed versions of their responses and profiles are available online at www.thepaper.media.

KEITH HUFFMAN, Valdese resident for more than seven years

On and off for the past eight to nine months, running for mayor has been on Huffman’s mind. He serves on the Planning and Zoning Board and the Firefighters Relief Fund.

Major priorities that Huffman wants to accomplish if he is elected mayor include:

• Completing the public safety project
• Street repaving
• As a goodwill ambassador, work with the Valdese tourism staff to encourage visitors and showcase the town to the maximum extent possible
• Promote new businesses
• Advocate for better pay/benefits for town employees for retention

“I think folks here at Valdese will understand that I’m going to get out there and they’ll realize real quickly that I’m very approachable and very down to earth, and I think they’ll recognize it real quickly, but they also know that there’s a serious side of the things that we need to get done here in Valdese,” Huffman said.

MELINDA ZIMMERMAN, lifelong resident

In The Paper’s June 7 edition, Zimmerman explained why she is running for the seat that she was appointed to in January. To read more on her reasons, read that edition.

“We’re all trying to do what’s best for Valdese … We want to get Valdese moving forward again. We want to be in a positive direction. When there are issues that come up, we want to make decisions,” Zimmerman said.

SHANNON RADABAUGH, Valdese resident since 2017

Radabaugh has considered her candidacy for Ward 1 seat for the past two months. When the Set Up for Valdese group came to her about joining, she said she was elated to do so. She currently serves on the town’s Parks and Rec Commission.

“One big thing is I’d really like to be steadfast in pursuing long-term business growth in the community, pushing for better pay for the hard working employees of the Town of Valdese, and being a strong advocate for the Parks and Rec to support the youth sports and activities for the young individuals of our community,” Radabaugh said.

Looking at the public safety project, she said that the town needs to move forward with the project for the men and women of the police and fire departments.

REXANNA LOWMAN, lifelong resident and current Council member

The deciding factor for Lowman was Valdese voters urging her to run for re-election.

When asked to name her top focus if elected, she named the public safety facilities.

“Our Valdese citizens, firemen, and policemen deserve proper facilities. This process has gone on far too long and needs to be completed,” Lowman said. “... I am excited that we have a town manager, Todd Herms, who has experience in leading the building of a police department and a fire station. I am pleased that the Council has selected a contractor for the project.”