Gregory Lyon, candidate for Apex Town Council

Kristen Johnson
·4 min read

Residents will vote for the mayor and two Town Council members in Apex this year.

Mayor Jacques Gilbert, elected in 2019, is running unopposed, while incumbents Terry Mahaffey and Arno Zegerman face opponents Tayon Williams Dancy, Dylan Hale and Gregory Lyon.

Early voting for the Nov. 7 election began Oct. 19 and runs until Nov. 4.

For information about voting, Election Day, and precincts, residents can visit the state Board of Elections, ncsbe.gov, or the Wake County Board of Elections, wake.gov.

Name: Gregory (Gregorio) Lyon

Age: 46

Residence: Apex

Occupation/Employer: Chief compliance officer, Course Management Investment Advisors

Education: University of Utah

Political or civic experience: Assistant Scout Master (10 years), Citizens Climate Lobby, Bikes For Tikes Charity partner, Eagle Scout, Church outreach ministry, Head baseball coach for Apex Rec.

Campaign website: www.gregory-lyon.com

Tell us why you’re running to serve Apex. Why should voters trust you in this position?

Trust is earned, and I’ve been meeting with the residents of Apex, hearing their concerns, and discussing solutions and letting them know I’m just a neighbor who wants to make our shared community even better. One concern that’s always expressed is the explosive growth and the strain that brings to our schools, infrastructure, and other resources. As an experienced financial analyst, I believe growth is necessary for the long-term well-being of Apex, but it must be Smart, a growth that improves the quality of life for residents. Traffic is often so backed up outside of my neighborhood that it’s unsafe and difficult to pull out. We need to improve infrastructure — roads, sewer, and policing — before we build tens of thousands of new homes as one way to protect the quality of life for Apex residents. When elected to the Apex Town Council, I will use my financial and managerial experience to invest in practical and innovative solutions to make neighborhood streets safer, ease traffic congestion, finish promised road and greenspace projects, and reduce onerous regulations to make housing more affordable for all.

What is the town of Apex doing right to manage growth? What could be improved?

The town conducts various surveys and requests feedback on its performance, and this can be a good way to garner public input, but it does not seem that the town listens to residents. Via surveys, town residents have repeatedly told the council that transportation (roads) and public safety are their top priorities, yet the Town Council’s Fiscal Year 2023-24 budget underspends on transportation and overspends on growth. It overspends on growth by using taxes rather than using the significant surplus available in the General Fund. I support a generous Rainy-Day Fund but excessive buildup of this fund, in the council’s own words, indicates that taxes are too high. I would first use the available monies in the General Fund to clear the significant backlog of road and greenway projects and substantially boost public safety (fire/police) staffing before spending on growth.

If elected, how would you approach an existing or new issue differently from your fellow council members?

While Apex may be safer than the big cities many of our residents left to move here, crime is on the rise and response times to high-priority calls are down. That means it takes the police longer to provide help when it is most needed. Neighborhoods are even considering hiring off-duty Apex police officers to patrol their streets overnight because there aren’t enough police officers. The Town Council agreed to add more police staff to the FY 2023-24 budget, but what took so long? Crime need not necessarily increase with growth. We need a Town Council that supports the police and understands it is Job One to provide safe streets for all. When elected to the Apex Town Council, I will invest in practical and innovative solutions to make neighborhood streets safer, ease traffic congestion, finish promised road and greenspace projects, and reduce onerous regulations to make housing more affordable for all.

How do you plan to make local government in Apex more inclusive and equitable for all residents in the town who feel their voices are underrepresented?

In Apex, it is imperative that our local government be a beacon of fairness and compassion to ensure that every resident’s voice is not only heard but valued regardless of background or beliefs.

Please list any endorsements you’ve received.

N/A

If there is anything you would like to add, please do so here.

As a financial executive and adviser, I understand the importance of prudent fiscal policies and responsible resource management. Which means:

  • No more tax hikes

  • Support our police

  • Deal with crime now

  • Responsible growth tied to infrastructure