2023 Candidate Questionnaire – Town of Matthews
Ahead of Election Day 2023, candidates running for election for Town of Matthews Mayor and Board of Commissioners were provided a survey to complete and share their position on arts and culture. Below are the verbatim responses we received, grouped by question.
Not pictured: David Gaertner, Town of Matthews Board of Commissioners candidate.
David Gaertner: Photography is a hobby of mine that has spanned more than two decades. I have used that passion to connect people, through media or one-on-one interactions, to the community. I also have an engineering background that has been leveraged in coaching young people in how they can make positive contributions to the world they share.
Renee Garner: For me, it’s hard to remember a time when art was not my primary connection to the community. As an artist, I spent my high school lunch periods in the art room, then I went to UNCC and majored in art. I formed long-lasting friendships in the Rowe Arts building in college. Even still, when life keeps me somewhat distanced from creating art, I find visual art, music, and theater to be the most uplifting experiences that counterbalance the heaviness of politics. Of course, art can also be political. Aside from the literal connection with the arts, the work ethic required to be an artist is the same motivation I apply to community organizing. In that sense, being an artist taught me how to find my place in the Matthews community.
Ken McCool: Arts have always been a big part of my life, from performing theatre with Matthews Playhouse as a child, to now serving on the Matthews playhouse board of directors. Arts are a crucial part of a community, and is necessary for having a well rounded town.
Jeff Miller: When I was an Executive Chef in large Hotels around the Country, I made large Ice Carvings for Weddings and Sunday Brunches as well as Melon Carvings & Vegetable Flowers to adorn Food Displays. All the Attendees appreciated the Artistic flair. Later I competed in Ice Carving Competitions with hundreds of people watching and Gingerbread House Competitions winning Medals.
Sebastian Sadovsky: While we had incidents of people getting arrested and murdered by Police, all the street murals around those incidents were and still are very inspirational for me to run for the Town of Matthews commissioner office.
David Gaertner: Arts and culture are important and relevant ways in which communities form their identity. I would encourage the facilitation and availability of arts/culture in Matthews to reach across the region to connects the arts with the public. This could be accomplished using the community center theater and classrooms for instruction or exhibition.
Renee Garner: My artistic and cultural priorities are personal–helping artists and creatives succeed. Being an artist can be an unreliable career, but it gives back to the community exponentially. Over the past several years, I have done many of the things mentioned in your question–serving on a grant review panel, interacting with the advisory board, and attending cultural events. The services ASC provides provide Matthews with affordable, often free, cultural attractions. ASC directly contributes to the more significant quality of life and affordability issues in our suburb. Arts and cultural events also validate the talents of the next generation of creatives–that creativity is valuable. Matthews benefits greatly from ASC, and I will continue to uplift the organization’s work. Last year we contributed $1 per resident ($32,000) and received $81,000 in arts funding for events and artist investment; this is not only fiscally responsible but adds a dynamic to the town we would not see otherwise–more plays at the Playhouse, Festival of India, and creatives being able to live and work in Matthews. If re-elected, I will continue to advocate that the town invest further in ASC so we continue to receive the benefits of creativity and culture without traveling to Charlotte.
Ken McCool: To continue to advocate for funding of the arts at all levels, and to work with non-profits and institutions of art to bring more art of all kinds to the Town of Matthews.
Jeff Miller: After the Four-Mile Creek Greenway was built. I promoted an Artistic Challenge of creatively painting the Sewer Pipes & Manhole Covers that align the trail. We won the Centralina Council of Governments Region of Excellence Award for the Sewer Pipe Art Initiative. The Gateway Entrances into the Town with Median Plantings were also installed under my watch.
Sebastian Sadovsky: Art and Culture are the very top priority for me as a healthy soul reflects in a healthy body. I intend to promote those priorities by sponsoring ALL ordinances/regulations and or events to improve exposure to ALL arts and cultural activities.
David Gaertner: Community voice within town governance is central to my campaign. It is my desire to have open and continuous dialog with all parts of Matthews to ensure participation is available to all residents.
Renee Garner: One theme we, the board, have discussed regularly over the past few years is that representation matters. We do not live in a homogenous community; our decision-making must be comprehensive, and our cultural events must serve and attract a diverse audience. Our Parks, Rec, and Cultural Resources Department has been working on bringing a greater variety of arts and culture to Matthews with success. ASC supports one of the most exciting programs held annually at Fullwood Theater in the Community Center, the BIPOC Playwrights Festival–a joint venture between the African American Playwright’s Group and Matthews Playhouse. We also host a smaller version of the uptown Charlotte Festival of India in Stumptown Park once a year. Both of these events are well-attended, showing the demand for expanding equity programs here in Matthews.
Ken McCool: Informing people about scholarships and free opportunities within the arts, I believe that socioeconomic status shouldn’t determine if you can participate in the arts, especially for families that have children who want to be apart of the arts.
Jeff Miller: Matthews offers a variety of Art Classes at a reasonable rate. I’ve taught Calligraphy as an example. Our Park & Recreation Dept. also offers many Programs in Dance, Ceramics, Poetry, Art, Cartoons, Basket Weaving & more…
Sebastian Sadovsky: I will actively address inequities in access to arts and culture by promoting and sponsoring programs that reach out to needy communities to offer FREE advice, mentorship, and exposure to foster participation.
David Gaertner: The town of Matthews has invested in the local arts community with places to gather and share. Utilizing the existing facilities for creatives to collaborate and promote their work would benefit the artists as well as the community as a whole.
Renee Garner: This question hits home quite literally. Our household income comes from the creative sector, and when COVID hit, my husband lost his full-time photography job. I am a painter, stay-at-home mom, and politician, so my income is far from stable. The experience of a year of unemployment (the state provided us with $200-something intermittently and unpredictably), grasping for gig work, and everything that comes with it is not something we’ll ever forget. The cultural sector does not fit neatly into a corporate box; sometimes, the documentation does not translate, and if an artist needs to fill out standardized forms for state assistance. Because of our experience and seeing the tireless work of ASC through the pandemic, I learned a lot about how to help and where to find the right resources. I do not know that my empathy is much comfort, but I can do my best to help find resources and offer support through the avenues I am familiar with.
Ken McCool: I believe I have done this in a few ways and will continue to do so if re-elected. Firstly serving on the Matthews Board of Commissioners, I have always been a big proponent of public art and hiring local artists to do creative projects within the town of Matthews. I also believe as a member of the Matthews Playhouse board, I have been able to work collaboratively with artists who had struggled during the pandemic, and making sure within Matthews playhouse, those individuals have the right resources to continue in their careers in the arts.
Jeff Miller: Through the classes mentioned previously, as well as our many Art Fests, Beach Fest, Matthews Alive. All have Tents with Artists goods for sale.
Sebastian Sadovsky: As an elected official, I will utilize and support the creative workers of the culture sector because they represent the BEST of our species….!!!!
David Gaertner: The town of Matthews has the benefit of previous support by town leaders to build and dedicate spaces for the arts. There is also an active historical foundation and museum. It is my intention to support and promote these resources to be accessible to everyone.
Renee Garner: Since the town hired a Cultural Director in the Parks Department, public art has become a mainstay in downtown Matthews and around town in our public spaces. With that program expansion and further investment in ASC, we can see the impact of supporting the arts, science, and history programming here. Every year I advocate for $1 per resident to be granted to ASC, and, as I mentioned above, the return on that investment is extraordinary–creative programming brings tourism to Matthews, compels people to linger when coming downtown, and makes our town even more beautiful. We must continue to expand programming and to serve residents and visitors who are currently underserved in intentional, inclusive ways; that takes money, but it is an easy choice. The vibrant cultural scene and data show that ASC makes Matthews better.
Ken McCool: I believe that the town should always support public art. Part of that is paying for art, such as murals, statues, sculptures. Not only does public art support local artists, it supports the town and makes it a more desirable place to live.
Jeff Miller: I am a former Member of ASC’s Board representing Matthews. I am an Artist myself and our Town supports ASC fully every year.
Sebastian Sadovsky: I will support public funding of arts, science, and history programs 100% by making sure our Town of Matthews approves all and every cultural and art event.
ASC did not receive survey responses from the candidates below. (Candidates with an asterisk did not have campaign contact information available from the Board of Elections or were unable to be reached at the phone number or email address provided.)
Mayor, Town of Matthews
John Higdon
Board of Commissioners, Town of Matthews
Jonathan Clayton
Gina Hoover
Leon Threatt
Mark Tofano
John R. Urban
David Wieser
George Young