Ian Patrick

Questionnaire from The Chamber, Leading Business in Cabarrus

Note: The responses below from the candidate have not been edited. 

Please provide demographic information about yourself to help voters (age, education, current occupation, where you live).

Harrisburg is where I call home with my wife and my two wonderful children. My wife and I have owned an Architecture firm together since 2015. My two degrees are from UNC Charlotte in architecture, including a professional 5-year degree, and I am a registered architect in North and South Carolina.

Why are you running for this role and why should voters pick you? Please share any experience in an elected role that would be relevant to voters.

I was appointed Cabarrus County Commissioner in December of 2025 and was elected Vice-Chair unanimously by the board.

I serve as the Chairman of the Commission on Financial Efficiency (CoFE), am on the board of the Water and Sewer Authority of Cabarrus County (WSACC), a member of the Active Living Centers Advisory Council, the Region F Council on Aging, the board of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, liaison to the Planning & Zoning Board, and liaison to Harrisburg Town Council.

In the few short months since my appointment, I have moved with speed and efficiency on the following:

• Successfully balanced the budget that faced a $14M deficit with zero tax increase.

• I was instrumental in securing approval for two new Cabarrus County Schools by testifying before the Local Government Commission chaired by the State Treasurer. These two schools - NW Cabarrus Elementary and NW Cabarrus High School – face massive overcrowding in the growing part of our County.

• Added bonuses and teacher raises for Cabarrus County Schools and Kannapolis City Schools

• Added 19 Sheriff’s deputies.

• Hired a permanent County Manager with impeccable credentials and experience.

• Placed general obligation (GO) Bonds on the ballot for November for school construction and for Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (RCCC).

Prior to my service in Cabarrus County, I served two-terms on the Harrisburg Town Council where I was also the Chair of the Board of Adjustment.

In my 6 years serving in Harrisburg, we added an entire division to our Sherriff's department, got a seat at the table by appointing a Captain of the Division, fixed traffic problems, strengthened our fire department, and improved our parks.

We brought in tens of millions of dollars in commercial investment all while slowing residential growth approvals by 96% so the infrastructure could catch up. We did all of this and more and still lowered taxes.

Tell us about 2-3 professional accomplishments you have achieved in your work experience (not limited to public service) that give voters a sense of your leadership style or skills.

I am Chairman of the Board of CPNI, which is a non-profit group comprised of construction professionals who give their time and their expertise, free of charge, to struggling rural town across North Carolina to help revitalize their economies. These towns and rural areas have had their livelihood ripped away from them by industry moving overseas and their jobs have been cancelled. People are unaware that North Carolina has the most small towns in the entire country — and they're struggling. I am proud to be leading this group and helping rural North Carolinians across the state.

I am a member of the Cabarrus Chamber, NC Economic Development Association, CPN (Construction Professionals Network), SCUP (Society of College and University Planners), and a certified disaster relief inspector for NC SEER — where we work for FEMA after natural disasters to ensure buildings are safe for people to return. I am LEED Certified for Building Design + Construction where I served as the Board Vice-Chair and Membership Committee Chair. I served on the American Institute of Architect's Legislative Review Committee and am a registered architect in North and South Carolina. I received the Charlotte Business Journal's prestigious 40 under 40 award in 2022 and a CPN Service Award the same year.

What is one thing you would like to accomplish in the first six months if elected?

Since my tenure as a commissioner began in December 2025, I have accomplished the goals I set for myself already, namely, balancing the budget with zero tax increases and providing stability to the Board.

A few short months before I joined, the board was chaotic and constantly in the news. Cabarrus County had earned a reputation of instability. Two county managers had been fired in quick succession, and an interim manager was serving when I started.

Now, after nurturing relationships and trying to find common ground, we are working well together even when we disagree. Most of our votes are now 5-0 or 4-1: we hired a permanent County manager with a 5-0 vote, added bonds to the ballot with a 5-0 vote, and passed a balanced budget with a 4-1 vote and no tax increase and raises and bonuses for teachers.

Cabarrus County includes both fast-growing communities and areas facing economic challenges. How would you guide county policy and investment decisions to support balanced growth and opportunity across the entire county?

Over the past few months, I have been nurturing relationships with local municipal leaders to try and be intentional about growth. It is not the farmers and the rural folks in unincorporated areas of the county that are causing the growth that's straining our schools, roads, and infrastructure. In Harrisburg, I prioritized commercial development that has minimal impact on those services while creating high value and opportunities for existing residents. To the extent that the County can and should shape policy and growth, my expertise as an architect has given me a unique skillset to tackle the issues and opportunities associated with our unprecedented growth.

County government plays a central role in funding public school facilities and long-term capital needs. How would you approach decisions related to school capital investment to ensure facilities keep pace with growth, support student success, and remain fiscally responsible for taxpayers?

I was instrumental in getting funding to build new NW Cabarrus Elementary and High Schools by testifying before the LGC and the State Treasurer (they will be under construction soon). This passed with a unanimous vote at the LGC and our board. Our board also voted 5-0 to place school bonds on the ballot in November which will fund deferred maintenance and new construction for Cabarrus County Schools, Kannapolis City Schools, and Rowan Cabarrus Community College.

A strong workforce depends on more than jobs alone. It is shaped by access to education, child care, and community resources. How would you use the county’s role to support workforce participation and quality of life for Cabarrus County residents?

A strong workforce depends on strong people, not the County government. The people of Cabarrus County are full of grit and fortitude. They ask for and deserve quality education out of the government, but they don't ask us to run their life for them — and they shouldn't. That's not our job. Our job as a County is to provide a basic, predictable environment for residents and businesses. If that most basic duty is met, the private sector will thrive and the residents will benefit. It's as simple as that. To the extent the County does support a strong workforce, it is with our support of the Community College system that trains the workforce for good, high-paying jobs in advanced manufacturing, health sciences, and trade programs. This allows us to be attractive to business that provide opportunities for residents to advance in their careers and ultimately support their families. I voted to put bonds on the ballot for Rowan Cabarrus Community College to support a new facility that will train Cabarrus County residents in advanced manufacturing and other high-paying careers.

Economic growth is essential to maintaining a strong tax base, supporting public services, and creating opportunity for residents. How would you approach county-level policies and investments to ensure Cabarrus County remains competitive in attracting and retaining businesses while managing growth responsibly?

Why haven’t the residents seen the benefits of all the companies moving here? It’s time to make good on that promise. I have a unique plan to ensure that any business that decides to make Cabarrus County home will benefit the residents directly. Many of these businesses expect short-term tax breaks, but the promised benefits never seem to materialize in real terms. I am proposing a clear solution that directly helps the people.

Instead of 85% automatic tax breaks, we’ll evaluate businesses on a scale and put 85% of their taxes into a special account. We’ll use that account to reduce taxes for the people of Cabarrus County. We get jobs, they get workers, and regular people get a tax break. Win-win-win.

While counties do not regulate businesses in the same way as the state or municipalities, county policies can still influence the cost and ease of doing business. How would you consider the impact of county decisions on the business community?

Government's responsibility is to make sure people aren't being taken advantage of, that their tax dollars are spent wisely, and that the business community can make reasonable predictions in the market. However, our building permit approval process can be slow and cumbersome for businesses. I’m working on trying to fix that. Cabarrus County is an incredible place to have a business. The government should simply get out of the way or at least take down the roadblocks.