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Republicans file for commission race By ANDIE LEATHERMAN, LTN Staff Writer Feb. 22, 2002 - Two Lincolnton Republicans, both with experience on the county’s planning board, filed as candidates for the Lincoln Board of Commissioners Monday. James Buddy Funderburke and C. Dean Lutz hope to fill two open seats on the board. Funderburke, who has served two terms on the county planning board, calls growth a top issue. He now serves on the board of adjustments.
“We need to try to control it so we can provide the services,” he said. The time he has spent on those boards inspired Funderburke to make a bid for office. Funderburke said as a commissioner he would support building more schools and increasing teacher salary supplements, if the money is available. “If the means are there, I would do it,” he said. “All the counties are in a tight place with the state withholding funding. We need to keep taxes as low as possible.” Funderburke declined to comment on whether he would have supported incorporation of a town in eastern Lincoln County. Funderburke has owned an automotive battery sales business for over 20 years. Funderburke is an active member of St. Matthew’s United Church of Christ. He has lead the church’s governing board and now is an elder. Funderburke has been president of the Board of Christian Education and has served on the property and music committees.
For five years, Funderburke has served as treasurer of the Lincoln County Historical Association. He is that organization’s representative on the Lincoln Cultural Center board. Funderburke and his wife Jean have two children, Sara and Michael, and two grandchildren. Lutz, who serves as secretary of the planning board, supports controlled growth with zoning. He chairs the Board of Adjustment and serves on the Land Use Plan Steering Committee. “We as a planning board need to do more planning, less reacting,” Lutz said. Lutz, who volunteers with Communities in Schools as a tutor, wants to see more county involvement in the schools. “We need to work more closely with the school board, where to get the money and where it’s going,” he said. Lutz does not support incorporation in eastern Lincoln County at this time though later it may be more feasible, he said. “As it was presented, it would have cost residents a lot of money,” he said. Lutz is an advocate of the county working more closely with the Department of Transportation to address traffic overflow problems on secondary roads connected to the new N.C. 16. Lutz supports higher salaries for Sheriff’s deputies. “They need to make more money. They put their lives on the line every day,” he said. Lutz is the CEO of Lutz Housing, Lutz Realty Associates and Forest Hills, Inc. He is a partner in D&R Investments and McCurry Development. He is a member of the Lincolnton Rotary and serves on the organization’s student loan board. Lutz is on the Communities in Schools board and Literacy Council board, United Way allocation board, Board of Realtors and Centralina Development Corporation board. He serves on the county Republican Party executive board as finance chairman. Lutz is married to Ginger Voyles Lutz. He has two daughters, Ashley Queen and Kelly Scott and five grandchildren. Republican David Pratt filed for the commission race Thursday. A primary will be held on May 7. As of this morning, no Democrats had filed for the race. Commissioner Beth Saine is not running for a third term but instead is making a bid for Clerk of Court. Commissioner David Choate, who filled Dr. John Gamble’s term when he stepped down last year, is not running for reelection.
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© 2001 Lincoln Times-News |
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