Mayor — pick one

Buck Trott, 77, retired commander of Travis Air Force Base

Trott has served as mayor for eight years. He initially made it public that he would not be seeking another term, prompting other candidates to come forward, but then decided to run after all citing unfinished initiatives.

“My number one platform is soil and erosion control, and protection of the environment. You’ve got to protect that water source. That is the number one concern we should all have up here. If you say anything about what I want to do, it’s protect that watershed,” Trott said.

Don Mullen, 69, retired surgeon

Mullen moved to Highlands five years ago after vacationing here for 30 years, but he says his family roots in Western North Carolina go back seven generations.

“My motto for running is I want to honor our heritage with friendly growth that benefits all. In other words, I am concerned about some of the growth aspects of Highlands being too rapid and too fast,” Mullen said.

Creighton Zeek Sossomon, 60, real estate attorney

Sossomon was formerly on the town board for six years and has served on the zoning board.

“I think we need some clearer leadership. I think we could use a little clarity and leadership and some realistic approaches to how we are going to handle what is going to happen to us in the next while,” Sossomon said.

Town commissioners — pick two

Amy Patterson, 50, veterinarian

Patterson has been on the town board for 14 years.

She is running for another term because “I love Highlands,” she said.

Hank Ross, 50, landscape architect

Ross has been on the town board of commissioners for four years.

“This area and the surrounding area are really growing very, very fast. I would like to make sure the growth that happens enhances Highlands and continues to make it a great place to live and work,” Ross said. “I am also concerned about protecting our drinking water and natural resources.”

Eric Pierson, 31, developer

Pierson was on the town planning board and town appearance commission for eight years and has been serving on the Macon County planning board for three years.

“Planning for the future is very important to make sure everything runs smoothly and make sure downtown stays viable,” Pierson said, but there should be a balance. “Here in the past few years the town has closed down commercial property in town and it doesn’t allow the town to grow.”

Popcorn Manley, 43, truck driver for Wilson Gas

Manley is the chief of the Highlands Fire Department and was born and raised in Highlands.

Manley said growth has been a positive thing for the town, but fears the desire to keep Highlands the way it is could cause the town to stagnate.

“I have seen a lot of change in town and I’d like to be part of it. We want to keep our town like it is, but we’ve got to grow,” Manley said. “We are going to have to keep growing.”

Larry Rogers, 67, grading contractor

Rogers has lived in Highlands all his life and says growth is inevitable. He was on the zoning board for 12 years and thinks town leaders need to be more pro-active in extending sewer lines to reduce the potential for pollution in Mirror Lake, the town’s drinking water source.

“Every year the town needs to spend a little money and run lines further out. We’ve got to get people to tie in to the system,” said Rogers.