Tayon Williams Dancy, candidate for Apex Town Council

Kristen Johnson
·6 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: Tayon Williams Dancy

Age: 47

Residence: 1946 Post Rail Lane

Occupation/Employer: Software Engineering Manager/Program Manager, Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions

Education: MBA, North Carolina State University; Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Management Information Systems, UNC Charlotte

Political or civic experience: I was a board member of WakeUP Wake County for two years (2013-15); I am a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (Delta) where social action and advocacy are a key part of who we are. I served from 2011-20 as a statewide Social Action Committee Member (5 years) and NC Committee Chair (4 years). In these roles, I led the state of NC and over 140 chapters across the state to increase voter registration and education, to run for office, and to impact policy/laws at all levels of government. I implemented Delta Days at the NC General Assembly during my leadership tenure. I began local Delta Days at the School Board, County Commission, and Town/City Council meetings across the state. I taught workshops on debating, proposing legislation, and advocating for solutions with elected officials.

Campaign website: www.tayonforapexnc.org

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

My motivation to serve comes from my desire to make an impact in the town I have resided in for over 25 years. I am driven by my passion for people and the community, my experience in impacting policy at the local, state and federal levels, and my desire to sustain sensible growth and drive innovation.

My goal is to ensure that Apex remains a thriving community, is welcoming to all, economically stable, and will continue to be a great place to live, play, work, and retire for a diverse demographic. Voters should trust me because I am real, relatable, down-to-earth, empathetic, and vulnerable, and I am dedicated to driving policies, actions, and activities with the community and our local businesses in mind.

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

The town is managing the type of growth better with some decisions made to allow for mixed-use developments, like Veridea, that balance business with residential while creating a path for economic stability for the town and its community members. As we grow in residents, businesses are attracted to this area and thus can provide jobs for people.

The town also did well by passing an Affordable Housing Plan, which is a top priority for my campaign platform. However, this is an area where we have much work to do, including educating our community that housing affordability is about everyone: young adults, public service workers, mixed-income levels, the aging, and more. While we have an affordable housing plan in place, our budget priorities and allocations don’t yet reflect our commitment as a town to address the housing affordability crisis. We have a chance to get ahead of this.

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

An existing issue that I would approach differently is inclusive community and communication, the second point of my campaign platform. Effective communication is a common concern I hear on the campaign trail. Some community members are not inclined to come to the Town Hall, but if we go out to them, we can improve our reach and increase engagement that will allow us to gather more community feedback and share what is happening in Apex.

This outreach gives us a chance to educate and communicate directly about plans, action, and decisions that impact the areas in which they live, work, or play. One of our strategic goals is to create a welcoming community. There is still work to be done in this area as we work toward an Apex where we embody a sense of belonging on the Town Council, with town Staff, and within our community.

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?

One of the best ways to engage the community is through relationship-building and partnerships. I would gather, listen to, and learn from diverse thoughts and ideas to ensure Apex is a place where all individuals feel welcome. I would use my leadership skills to create a culture where groups of people feel empowered and valued, beginning with the Town Council setting the example, fostering this culture with town staff, and then engaging community members.

I would develop an annual “Hanging Out in the Peak Day,” where we come to your side of town using GoApex Transit at pre-planned community-hosted stops along the tour. The mayor and Council members would engage with the people and provide a brief update on the town at each stop. I would foster relationships and partnerships with nonprofit member-based organizations, churches, and the private sector to broaden our level of engagement within the town.

Please list any endorsements you’ve received.

  • Nicole Dozier, Former Apex Mayor Pro Tem

  • Karen Rindge, Former Executive Director WakeUp Wake County

  • Corey Branch, Raleigh Mayor Pro Tem

  • Bridget Wall-Lennon, Former Wake Forest Commissioner

  • Yvonne Lewis Holley, Former Wake County Commissioner

  • Yevonne Brannon, Ph.D, Executive Director, NCSU Center for Urban Affairs and Community Services

  • Home Builders Association of Raleigh - Wake County

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

My last campaign priorities are manageable growth and infrastructure. Growth is inevitable in Apex. In a Biz Journal article from May 27, 2022, Apex was deemed the 10th largest growth rate in the country - and the largest growth in NC. Apex (4,114) added more residents than Durham (1,980) and the state capital, Raleigh (1,532).

I believe town leadership should focus on managing that growth best while preserving the quality of life for all of Apex. Two very challenging issues in our town and region are roads and school capacity. The ability to keep up with the pace of growth in Apex can be daunting regarding infrastructure preparedness to meet the demands. Planning requires involvement from other state or county-level departments like the NCDOT, Wake County Board of Commissioners, and School Board. I would work with organizations like this to ensure infrastructure plans align with strategic plans across Apex.