Candidate Questionnaire: TJ Cawley
Morrisville, NC – This is an installment in our Candidate 2017 series, in which candidates get to respond in their own words to the same three questions.
We publish the responses in the order we receive them. This questionnaire is submitted by TJ Cawley, running for Mayor of Morrisville.
Why are you running?
In Morrisville, we are fortunate to have an ideal location, an award winning town staff, a thriving business community, great neighborhoods and wonderful, engaged citizens. We need to address our basic needs of safety, security and transportation, but there’s so much more to Morrisville.
I have an obligation to give the voters a clear choice between ordinary and extraordinary. Our citizens want a Mayor with a vision for progress who will implement new ideas to benefit our community as a whole. We need a leader who will make bold decisions that put our citizens first.
Send a message that you want real, positive change, not just talk, from our elected leaders. Join me – a husband, father and community volunteer – to make a better Morrisville.
My name is TJ Cawley, and I ask for your vote on Tuesday November 7, 2017 to Greenlight Morrisville’s Future.
What are your top three priorities and how will you accomplish them?
- Accelerate road widening and turn lane projects to reduce congestion, especially on Chapel Hill Road, McCrimmon Parkway and Aviation Parkway, including bicycle and pedestrian facilities all the way to Lake Crabtree on Aviation Parkway.
- Collaborate with the Wake County Board of Education to continue providing high quality, accountable neighborhood schools for all our students. As a parent committed to our children’s future, I am always seeking opportunities to make a difference. At Weatherstone Elementary School I led National Walk to School Days and Chaired the Health and Wellness Committee. Our committee was so successful keeping students, staff and families active and healthy, that the Advocates for Health in Action presented us the Brains and Bodies Award.
- Foster a culture of innovation and environmental stewardship by pursuing solar energy, increasing recycling and encouraging infrastructure for hybrid and electric vehicles to make Morrisville the leading smart sustainable town in our region.
Give us a brief bio and tell us about your relevant experience
I’m originally from New York, and have lived in Morrisville for over 10 years, where I’ve served as an elected member of the Town Council since 2013. I’ve been married to my wife Kathy for 16 years, and we have three great kids – Katie, Shannon and Ryan. I graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce, and had a successful career in finance. I am a true public servant, volunteering in our local schools, and serving at the community, state and national level on many boards and advisory commissions, including: Youth Thrive, Capital Area Friends of Transit, Advocates for Health in Action, Green Hope Business Alliance, and Volunteer Chair of the East Meets West Festival which recently won first place in the nation for promoting Cultural Diversity. I am not just a figurehead who attends meetings. I roll up my sleeves, and do the work necessary to turn ideas into action to enhance the lives of those around me.
Website: www.TJ4Morrisville.org
Facebook: TJ4Morrisville
Twitter: @TJCawleyTweets
Email: TJCawley@gmail.com
Phone: (919) 539-9683
Read more in the Candidate 2017 series.
I would like to say that not only do I appreciate all the hard work TJ has done for Morrisville but that he is a giving and compassionate person from the inside out! I was involved in an serious accident two weeks ago. TJ heard the accident and just showed up on the sidewalk where I was standing with my 4 year old grand daughter. He spoke calmly and shared a water conservation pamphlet with her while waiting with us for family and while I was speaking to police, fire fighters and EMT. He didn’t have to walk to us or stand in the heat but he did. That dedication and caring for people is was makes him a great man and candidate.
T.J. Cawley is a strong advocate for the town of Morrisville. His deep commitment to public service makes him an outstanding leader. I look forward to continuing to work with him on school and other related community issues.
Jim Martin, WCPSS Board of Education
I have worked with TJ on the East Meets West Festival Committee for 4 years now. His work as a Volunteer Coordinator for the event is instrumental in ensuring we have a festival that not only honors our culturally diverse community, but that also contributes to making our town a great place to live, work, and raise a family. I have always been impressed with the care and attention he gives to all aspects of planning the festival, from working with individuals, groups, and business, to ensuring Morrisville is family-centered and community-focused. As a local small business owner, I value his vision and leadership for the Town of Morrisville and am grateful for his work to continue Morrisville’s growth and development.
TJ has an excellent balance of diverse qualifications from which to draw. He has done an excellent job as a council member and I can assure you that he will bring that
same commitment to Morrisville as our Mayor for which we are lacking over the past four years.
Pete M Martin
Former Morrisville Council member
I have had the pleasure of working with TJ for several years as we developed a Neighborhood Watch program which is a no-cost local crime prevention initiative supported by the Cary and Morrisville Police. He voluntarily serves as Block Captain for his neighborhood and is proactive in engaging his neighbors in this program. TJ took accountability for designing and implementing processes by which neighbors could become better acquainted so they can effectively look out for each other’s property and safety. His methods have become a model for new Block Captain volunteers whom he willingly mentors.
It quickly became clear to me that TJ is a capable self-starter and a passionate advocate for the community causes he believes in. His friendly, approachable demeanor allows him to be effective in obtaining cooperation and respect from others. I appreciate his willingness to serve as an elected official and am grateful he is my neighbor and friend.
I first met TJ when Wake Co. Public Schools decided to terminate teacher run summer camps at 5 local schools. I formed a committee with representatives of each school and TJ graciously volunteered to represent Weatherstone Elem. His knowledge of the inner workings of government issues was a valuable benefit in how we as a committee, approached the School Board. With TJ’s help we were able to get the School Board to have the Wake County School Public System overturn their decision. He was a valuable asset not only to the committee but to the children and families of the affected schools.
I’ve lived in Morrisville for over 12 years and have known TJ for about half that time. TJ has no agenda except to make Morrisville an even better place to live. He does not have on his agenda, as do some on the council, a plan to privatize the MAFC or to pit one neighborhood against another or to push agenda items that only favor certain neighborhoods. TJ is for ALL of Morrisville. He doesn’t want to do things “on the cheap”. He is an advocate for the Parks and Recreation Department. He believes that Parks and Rec is a key ingredient to great town. I’ve been on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board for 8+ years and he has been to meetings as an observer. He is not the only council member that has attended, but there are 3 that have been conspicuous by their lack of attendance. TJ realizes that Morrisville can be better with better leadership. I believe he is that better leadership.
I have lived in Morrisville for about seven years. Morrisville is a great community, but we have important issues like traffic, regulating growth, education and protecting the quality of our air and water. These are important issues for the future of Morrisville. We have to get these issues right the first time.
TJ is looking out for Morrisville. There are many special interests who want the freedom to maximize their profits without considering the impact they have on our community. TJ has your back. He will help us achieve reasonable and controlled growth and not growth at any cost.
TJ Cawley is the “people’s council member.” Ever mindful of citizens’ wants and community needs, he has been the lone voice of town leadership in preserving the small town values we cherish and future of controlled growth we seek. He has proven to be independent, attuned to the majority of Morrisville residents, and the strong voice of opposition to damaging council proposals. To silence his stand for common sense, the current mayor and his “yes men” on the council have maneuvered to remove Cawley’s seat on the town board for the next term. It is not only imperative that TJ continue his representation on the council, but he be assigned the major responsibility in guiding the current management of our town and its critical planning for the future. Morrisville needs TJ Cawley as Mayor!
Steve Diehl – Former Morrisville Town Council Member
I have had the pleasure to work with TJ as a volunteer on the Morrisville East Meets West events over the past several years. TJ has also helped to support my neighborhood in the fight to try to preserve the land behind some of our houses. I wish you all the best in your race for Mayor, you will do an amazing job.
TJ is a straight shooter and fine public servant that will work hard for the citizens of Morrisville and not special interests. I’ve known him since I ran for office two years ago and he was instrumental in helping me run my campaign. My political experience taught me that there are two types of people that run for office, those who want to make a sincere difference and those who are only concerned with power and prestige. TJ is the former. Morrisville needs a new direction and TJ is the right person to lead us there.
TJ has been a great asset to the Western Regional Community Advisory Community, a group of Western Wake County citizens with a mission to ensure that the residents of Western Wake County have equal access to Health and Human Services…. His contributions were very critical this summer as he played a lead role in enlarging the Summer Feeding Program in our community. It was the first time the program was available in the Morrisville community. Most of our 8 sites served about 20 to 25 persons per event. TJ was instrumental in conception, design, delivery, and assessment for the program in our region. He was a great example of boots on the ground in improving the quality of life for everyone, not just the recipients of the services. I wish TJ the best in the race for mayor!!
I have had the pleasure of knowing TJ as a citizen much before he became an elected official. He has always impressed me first with his concern for the citizens of Morrisville and secondly, his work ethic. He is always prepared and makes decisions to do the best and most for the greater good. The bottom line is he will be a good Mayor. Thank goodness people like TJ unselfishly serve and only ask for more responsibility to continue to do so.
TJ is the definition of a public servant. The interests and concerns of the citizens of Morrisville would surely be heard by TJ. Good luck in the race for mayor!