Meet the candidates: Southport Mayor

The mayor of Southport has two challengers in the upcoming election.

Joe Pat Hatem, the city's current mayor, is running for reelection alongside two challengers: Rich Alt, a current member of the city's board of aldermen, and Mike Barbee.

Early voting begins Oct. 19 and ends Nov. 4. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7.

The race is nonpartisan. Here are the candidates and their thoughts on some pressing issues.

Candidate responses have been edited for style, grammar and length.

Rich Alt

• Age: Did not answer

• Occupation: Retired from law enforcement in Northern Virginia; Department of Homeland Security; Presently serving as an alderman

• Family: Wife; two children; three grandchildren

• Education: B.A. Political Science and History; Post-Baccalaureate degree in Criminal Justice; attended FBI National Academy; attended cohort at JFK School of Government at Harvard University; Wharton University Business School

• Political affiliation: Unaffiliated

Mike Barbee

• Age: 35

• Occupation: General manager, Brunswick County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor, musician

• Family: Did not answer

• Education: B.S. Sustainable Development, Appalachian State University

• Political affiliation: Independent

Joe Pat Hatem

• Age: 68

• Occupation: Physician

• Family: Tish Hickman Hatem; three children; three grandchildren

• Education: University of Notre Dame B.A., 1977; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, 1982; Internal Medicine Residency Program, New Hanover Memorial Hospital, 1986; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Master of Public Health, 1992

• Political affiliation: Unaffiliated

What are the top issues facing the city of Southport?

Alt: The top issues facing the city of Southport are: Managing reasonable and sustainable growth; a lack of managerial stability with the city having had five city manages in the past 10 years; the lack of almost no policies and procedures for any component of the Southport city government; the lack of mandatory training for department heads in project management and human resources; the loss of trust by the residents for the city’s elected officials.

Barbee: The top issues facing the city of Southport right now are population growth, infrastructure, funding, and a mayor that doesn’t understand that the city needs to be run like a business. We need more parking, better traffic flow, a water and sewer system that isn’t a century old. We need a mayor that will bolster all of the city’s citizens and businesses. We need a mayor that will seek out funding for the city and not miss out on money that we so desperately need for the city’s 35+ current projects. Funding is the biggest obstacle in the way of solving the rest of our problems.

Hatem: Infrastructure in terms of our roads, electrical grid and burying power lines, storm water, and the biggest issue, the regionalization and merger of our sewer system with Brunswick County. I opposed the city building its own wastewater treatment facility in 2019 and by regionalization and merger with the county it will provide economies of scale, improve efficiency, develop capacity for the future and lower costs for our citizens. Waterfront/shoreline stabilization and erosion control of the Southport waterfront to protect the homes, businesses, roads and sidewalks. Growth and development is coming to Brunswick County, which includes Southport. Southport is the “Downtown of Brunswick County” and the city must be prepared for this growth and activity.

Why are you the best candidate for mayor?

Alt: I am the best candidate for mayor because I bring to the table 40 years of local, state and federal governmental experience; with 20 of those years in upper management or command level positions. I have advanced, targeted training from numerous universities whose goal was to enhance critical thinking skills, encourage the exploration of best practices, and to establish meaningful matrices to measure effectiveness.

Barbee: I am the best candidate for mayor of Southport. I am a Southport native who has helped run two successful family businesses in town that have enriched the lives of all their guests (Dry Street Pub & Pizza, Blue Cow Grille). I have a Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Development from Appalachian State University. I am currently a Brunswick County Soil and Water Conservation district board supervisor who was recently nominated to vice-chair of Area 6. I am the best candidate for mayor because I’m a hard worker, business-minded, and I love Southport!

Hatem: I have worked and or lived in Southport for almost 40 years. The city of Southport has thrived after successfully working through a pandemic and a hurricane that were significant events in my first two years of office. We have 38 projects in progress, more than any other time in the history of the city and we are moving forward with our infrastructure projects, public health, safety, historic preservation, the environment, preserving our cultural heritage and unique neighborhoods while promoting our local businesses and restaurants. I am the best candidate to lead the city the next two years and continue the progress we have made over the past four years.

What future do you imagine for the city of Southport 5-10 years from now?

Alt: I believe Southport is on the cusp of turning the tide of 1950s good old boy politics to that of a modern small city, with a clear vision of what it wants to look and feel like. This can only be achieved with reasonable growth, modern business practices, staying true to the bucolic beauty of our natural resources, and establishing a trust between the citizens and all of the city government.

Barbee: The future, I imagine, for the city of Southport is a future where my newborn daughter can grow up like I did to enjoy the same safety and beauty as we had thirty years ago, in a Southport that has improved its infrastructure to accommodate and support the growth of the twenty-first century. I imagine the future holds prosperity and health for Southport and it’s citizens; especially, if I’m elected mayor. I would like to see the future lives of my fellow citizens bettered by more resources and services, thanks to a Southport that can afford to provide results for taxpayers.

Hatem: Southport is one of the crown jewels on the Cape Fear River. We bring this history with us as we embrace the latest technology and equipment whether for our city or for our historic hospital. We do so by preserving our heritage, building on and improving our infrastructure, roads, sidewalks, sewer, electrical grid, improving connectivity with and within Southport, promoting the health of our citizens and environment. I see a vibrant economy, preserved, protected and well-planned neighborhoods, a waterfront that is also preserved and protected and where our city hall provides the necessary services, the employees have competitive salaries, where housing is affordable in the surrounding county, and prevention is emphasized by strong public safety departments.

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Jamey Cross covers Brunswick County for the StarNews. Reach her at jbcross@gannett.com or message her on Twitter/X @jameybcross.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Candidates for Southport mayor election 2023