 Photo by Tommy Penick
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by EDWARD SZTUKOWSKI
News Editor
The Boone Town Council filled its vacant seat Aug. 20, appointing Jamie S. Leigh as the newest town council member.
Former town council member Liz Aycock left in late June because she moved outside town limits. The council then opened the floor for citizens to submit applications for the position.
Leigh owns the accounting firm Leigh, Jamie S CPA in downtown Boone.
She has a strong
financial background, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in business
administration from the University of Illinois in 1980.
In 1996, she completed her master’s in accounting at Appalachian State University.
Leigh has lived in Boone for 17 years, but it was not until last spring that she thought about running for town council.
“I
started going to all the council meetings and studied the plans the
town is involved in,” Leigh said. “It was a coincidence when [Aycock]
couldn’t serve, but I felt I was prepared since I was keeping up to
date.”
Because Leigh has kept up with council matters, she felt comfortable joining the council.
“I’m
very fortunate because the council members on the board have been very
helpful to me,” Leigh said. “The job requires a lot of time and effort,
more so after stepping in midway [through the term].”
As there
are only four months remaining in the term, Leigh said she does not
have a specific agenda, but there are several things she would like to
see implemented in the future.
“The
preservation of green spaces, expansion of the Greenway Trail and
affordable housing are important to me,” Leigh said. “Part of the smart
growth plan is to have a more dense and compact town center and more
housing closer to campus.”
Leigh is a strong proponent of the smart growth plan, which stresses a more compact town.
“The
main principle is to avoid urban sprawl, have a denser town center and
preserve green spaces,” Leigh said. “Lots of students come to
Appalachian for the community, not just the school.”
Leigh’s term will end in four months, but she plans to run in the upcoming town elections this November.
Photo by Tommy Penick | The Appalachian
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