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J. Scott Padgett
Mayor
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J. Scott Padgett was elected to the position of Mayor in 2001 after serving on the City Council since 1995. A longtime resident of Concord, Scott is a retired elementary school principal who received his undergraduate degree from Appalachian State University, Master of Education Degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and an Advanced Degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Very active in the community, Scott is a member of the Concord Rotary Club, Community Free Clinic Board of Directors, Cabarrus Workshop Board of Directors, Rotary Club Board of Directors, Stonewall Jackson Advisory Board, and Board of Visitors for Barber-Scotia College and is a member of All Saints Episcopal Church. He is a member of the North Carolina League of Municipalities Board of Directors and is an active participant in the U.S. Congress of Mayors. Prior to becoming an elected official of the City, Mayor Padgett served as a member of Concord's Planning and Zoning Commission. He is married and has one child and three grandchildren. Mayor Padgett states, "I have always been impressed with the leadership in Concord, and it is an honor to serve the citizens. We have many challenges today, but they are no greater than those faced by our forefathers. Working together, we can make this an even better place in which to live and work."
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A Message from the Mayor
What a difference a year makes!
One year ago, the City was preparing to launch its new solid waste contract with Waste Pro, saving $1.7 million a year, and featuring fully automated collection and every-other week recycling. Waste Pro brought an all new fleet of efficient trucks to Concord and invested in a regional operations facility on Manor Avenue. The City took seriously the task of making sure residents understood the service changes and how they would benefit our community. Today, the program is running smoothly and successfully. Significant improvements were realized during the first 6 months of the new program, with the most dramatic being a 47 percent increase in monthly recycling tonnage. That exceeds the state’s projection of a 30 percent increase upon conversion from bins to rollout carts. For a reminder about how you can help the City make the best use of your tax dollars, click here.
Later this year, the entire Charlotte region will enjoy a national spotlight when the Democratic National Convention arrives in September. Of course the DNC is a political event, but it will benefit Democrats, Republicans, and all other North Carolinians the same. Politics aside, the DNC will be a huge opportunity for our community to welcome thousands of visitors from across the nation and demonstrate first-hand our southern hospitality. In January, I was pleased to join Charlotte Mayor Anthony Fox, DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Shultz, and DNCC CEO Steve Kerrigan when it was
announced that the convention would kick off in Concord at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Monday, September 3.
Charlotte Motor Speedway will host a Labor Day family festival that kicks off the Democratic National Convention week in Charlotte. Designed to welcome Carolinians, tourists, media, and delegates to the host city, the event will be a free, non-partisan community celebration of the South. The family festival is open to the public and will
feature live entertainment, activities, and exhibitions that showcase Charlotte and the Carolinas.
The event could have the economic impact of a race weekend, which has been a saving grace to our community during the economic downtown. According to a recent study from the North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development, tourism is booming in our community:
- Domestic tourism in Cabarrus County generated an economic impact of $312.92 million in 2010. This was a 6.88 percent increase from 2009.
- More than 3,680 jobs in Cabarrus County were directly attributable to travel and tourism.
- Travel generated a $68.92 million payroll in 2010.
- State and local tax revenues from travel to Cabarrus County amounted to $24.83 million. This represents a $365.49 tax saving to each household in the county.
A very visible improvement with a similar impact is the $180 million of enhancements to I-85 between Exits 49 and 55. The NCDOT and Lane Construction are doing a great job moving the project along with minimal impact to motorists. It is amazing to see the difference already, and construction should be finished by November 2013.
