Ian Patrick

Questionnaire from The Chamber, Leading Business in Cabarrus

Note: The following responses are verbatim from the candidate and 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 to the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners by the Cabarrus County GOP in December 2025 with a unanimous vote by the Board of Commissioners. I was then appointed as Vice Chair of the Board, again with a unanimous vote. Before my current term on the Board, I served as a two-term Town Councilman in Harrisburg. I was also the Chair of the Board of Adjustment, and liaison to Planning and Zoning. My experience in local government, specifically in maintaining fiscal responsibility, has allowed me to take the knowledge I’ve gained in city government to the County as a whole. 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?

I’ve only been a sitting Commissioner since December 2025 and I’m already making changes to ensure Cabarrus County remains a great place to raise a family and start a business. My focus now is tackling the nearly $14 million dollar budget deficit. A deficit that balloons to $27 million in 2028 and a staggering $66 million by 2031. This is not sustainable. With an almost half a billion-dollar budget, there is no reason whatsoever to be seeing shortfalls even five years out, let alone one. After my work is done in the next few months to pass a budget that actually works, I’ll shift my focus to ensuring the tax burden placed on ordinary hardworking people is as minimal as possible.

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?

This question is probably better addressed to local city council members. 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?

The County doesn’t just play a central role in funding school facilities, but we are required by the Constitution and State statute to do so. That is a difficult ask for the residents. Cabarrus County spends nearly $114 million a year for school operations. These operational expenses are clearly the responsibility of the State government, not the County, as established by General Statute 115C-408. We have almost a half a billion dollars in deferred maintenance, overcrowded schools, and underpaid teachers. If the operational expenses that the County is now paying were lifted from the back of the residents, we could build every school we needed, maintain them properly, and cut our taxes in half. I welcome you to join me in lobbying the legislature to abide by the Statutes they put in place.

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.

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?

I don’t believe Cabarrus County has that problem. We’re experiencing unprecedented economic growth and prosperity. Our only issue seems to be that we don’t know what to do with it. We’re operating under outdated policies that don’t take full advantage of the opportunities the private sector has to offer. We’re giving away without objection tax revenue for no reason whatsoever. We’re acting as if Cabarrus County isn’t an incredibly attractive market for private investment and opportunity for the people to grow their wealth. We’re in the top 5 counties in the state and we’re acting as if we need help. No, we need to unleash the business community to do what they do best – grow – which in turn provides the best opportunities for the people.

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?

I don’t understand the framing of the question. It seems to me you’re just better off to get out of the way and let businesses generate the prosperity, wealth, and opportunity that they are built for. Government doesn’t have these skills – and they shouldn’t. 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. If I had one area we could do better at, it would be faster approvals on building permits for commercial developments. Cabarrus County is an incredible place to have a business – we should simply get out of the way.