Politics

Citing achievements, Young declares for a fourth term

By Bill Moss, Published: January 8, 2014

Henderson County Commissioner Larry Young said he will seek a fourth term on the Board of Commissioners, running on what he described as a record of achievements over the past 12 years and citing projects he'd like to help shepherd to fruition in the next four.

"We've got the county in good shape," he said. "We've done a lot for the county in the past 12 years and there's a lot still to be accomplished."
In some ways, Young promises more of the same — conservative fiscal management, a strong fund balance, steady investment in school buildings and other capital projects and low taxes.
Young counts among his achievements helping to recruit Wingate University to Hendersonville and encouraging its expansion, hiring Steve Wyatt as county manager, and urging past chairman Bill Moyer to move forward on the Tuxedo park project by removing the old mill.
Among the upcoming projects he'd like to see through are the expansion of Hendersonville High School and helping Wingate grow with a new building at Blue Ridge Community College.
"They're going to work with Blue Ridge Community College so students can go there for two years and then transfer," he said. "They're offering right now the P.A. (physician assistant), the MBA and the pharmacy. I was talking to (Wingate president) Dr. (Jerry) McGee and they're looking at putting in a full nursing school. BRCC offers a practical nursing program. They're talking about putting an RN school there. This is going to be a big thing for Henderson County."
Larry YoungYoung said Pardee's Board of Directors had initially turned down an agreement that would allow Wingate's pharmacy students to train at the hospital. He said he worked behind the scenes to get the hospital's approval.
"We got a unanimous vote that they would work with Wingate and let some of their students work with the hospital pharmacy and the same way with Park Ridge and the V.A. Hospital," he said.
Young took partial credit, too, for bringing Wyatt to Henderson County. Both men are natives of McDowell County; Young said he had known Wyatt's father for a long time.
"That was another thing I helped get accomplished, was hiring Steve Wyatt as county manager and I don't think many people would say that's not an asset," Young said. "Shannon Baldwin when he was on the board and myself had a lot to do with getting him hired as county manager."
Young also said he had brought in Moseley Architects to design schools and help management construction costs when the county was having trouble with cost overruns.
"They got up to where we just couldn't afford the bill," he said of the school projects. "They designed Mills River and Hillandale and they even got the LEED green certification, and we built them for 800 students instead of 600 students."
He also supported construction of the new sheriff's department. The county has built new buildings and added parkland without raising taxes.
"A lot of people don't realize we've done these things," he said. "I've not been out bragging or talking about those things. I don't have any indication whether anybody's going to run against me or not."
A retired automotive service manager, Young said nothing is stopping him from continuing to serve if voters send him back for a fourth term.
"I'm in good health," he said. "I'll be 73 next month. I play golf three times a week and I feel like I've got the time being retired to donate to Henderson County to make it a better place, and that's all I've ever wanted to do."