Joe Jordan

The Gaston Business Association Questionnaire

Please provide a short introduction (50 words or less) highlighting your background and achievements.

Lifelong resident of Belmont, graduate of Belmont Abbey College (2001), and Campbell University Law School (2004). Downtown business owner, and property owner,  I served on the Main Street Advisory Board and DBDA as Vice Chair, and co-chair the Economic Vitality Committee. I am married to Susan Jordan and have two kids, Jack and Abby.

What inspired you to run for city/town council, and what specific qualities or experiences make you well-suited for this role?

Having grown up here and invested so much of our family in Belmont, we wanted to give back to the community.  Belmont will have some notable challenges in the next few years, and I want to make sure Belmont continues to grow in a way that benefits the residents, but protects our unique identity. Being a trained attorney and involved city volunteer gives me the unique experience to lead the city through the legal procedures necessary for a functioning municipality, while also seeing the everyday needs of our residents.

What are your top priorities for your city/town (specifically pertaining to the business community), and how do you plan to address them if elected?

Top priority is to bring in new business investments, retail growth, and grant monies to support our existing businesses, while constantly seeking new investments for Belmont.  I will ask city council to retain a full time grant writer for the City, funded in part by forgoing my mayoral salary, to seek grant opportunities, while I personally meet with businesses looking to invest in Belmont.  Business investment will be an important part of raising revenues to address our infrastructure requirements.

Please select one of the following local issues, and provide a brief description of your stance on the topic: Economic Development, Public Safety, Transportation & Infrastructure, or Education.

Transportation & Infrastructure is a persistent problem in Belmont.  Many things have contributed to these issues, over development of residential, failure to plan for growth, and the passage of time to name a few. For Belmont to alleviate its traffic congestion it will take more road improvements, as well as new local retail and commercial development that will service the local residents, reducing the need to travel in and out of Belmont for necessities. The explosive growth Belmont has captured equally puts pressure on our aging infrastructure that was not developed with rapid expansion in mind. Both of these issues take substantial funding and time.  I will pursue a diverse approach to our traffic and infrastructure requirements, seeking out county, state and federal funding, negotiating with developers for investments into infrastructure, and capturing new, beneficial growth that increases the tax basis, while avoiding tax increases on residents. At the same time, I will advocate for the creation of a long term plan that will ensure that future Belmont is well positioned for success.