In this election day special, Jason talks with Jon Council, candidate for County Commissioner 3 in Watauga County of Western NC (Jason’s home county) and Sarah Davis, his campaign manager, to talk about local issues in the region, including environmental protection, affordable housing for the working class, and mutual aid. In particular they talk about the impacts of Hurricane Helene in the region, how it changed the nature of their campaign into one of disaster relief organizing, and the challenges and opportunities moving forward.

They are both active members with Down Home NC (https://downhomenc.org/ ) and it’s local chapter Keep WNC (and Watauga) Home (https://keepwnchome.org/ )

A profile of Sarah Davis can be found here: https://medium.com/reclaiming-rural/calling-watauga-home-a8608d9d36d7

Jon’s campaign website can be found here: https://www.councilforwatauga.com/

About Jon:

Born and raised in North Carolina, I have grown to appreciate the diverse communities and nature that surround us, especially here in the High Country. My wife and I have lived on the Watauga River for the past six years after living and working in other communities around the area.  We have witnessed firsthand the areas where our local government has fallen short. Our county's working people deserve access to safe and affordable housing, environmental protections, clean water, a voice on our local boards, and much more. I have faced these same issues daily and am dedicated to making a difference for our county. I aim to become a public servant, not a politician.

To learn more about my involvement in our community and the issues I am running on, check out this interview with the national publication, Barn Raiser Media (https://barnraisingmedia.com/appalachia-carpenter-watauga-county-development-organizing-minimum-housing-standards/ )