ARCHDALE — One year into serving as mayor of Archdale, Lewis Dorsett has a new appreciation for how much time the job consumes.
He wants to stay busy doing that.
Dorsett has filed to run for the office of one of Randolph County’s rapidly growing cities.
“My role changed from being a councilman,” Dorsett said. “A lot more meetings. This takes more time, a lot of meetings. There’s a lot of development going on and a lot of potential going on.”
Dorsett said the city’s growth was the biggest issue during the past year. He said the council approved the construction of up to 1,000 townhouses or single-family sites.
“It has just really taken off,” Dorsett said. “The city is just growing, and a lot of folks don’t like that. Archdale is booming and is growing. We’re trying to manage that.”
Archdale has openings for mayor, city council at large, City Council Ward 1, and City Council Ward 4. The Ward 1 incumbent is Larry Warlick, and Ward 4 incumbent is mayor pro tem John Glass.
Dorsett, 66, had been the mayor pro tem. The city council appointed him to fill the remainder of the mayor’s term beginning July 1, 2021, upon the retirement of Bert Stone, who had been the city’s mayor for more than 20 years and either in that seat or on the city council for nearly 30 years.
“Bert was such a mentor for me,” Dorsett said.
Glass held the at-large spot until Dorsett moved to mayor, with Glass shifting to the Ward 4 spot. Lorie McCroskey was appointed to fill the at-large spot.
All incumbents are expected to be on the ballot. Dorsett, Warlick, and McCroskey filed Friday when the filing period opened. Kelly Grooms also filed for the at-large spot on the first day.
Dorsett said the Randolph-Guilford megasite has greatly influenced the city, even as much of the impact might be in its infancy. Archdale is about a 25-minute drive from the megasite.
“The megasite has changed Randolph County, and it’s changing Archdale,” Dorsett said.
Other work that city officials are addressing includes re-writing planning and zoning ordinances, the mayor said.
Dorsett, who graduated from Asheboro High School in 1974, is a retired carpentry teacher from Trinity High School, where he spent more than 20 years. He continues in a part-time role as a driver’s education teacher for the Randolph County School System.
Candidates must file by noon July 15. It’s a two-year term for the mayor and a four-year term for council members.
Archdale extends into a sliver of Guilford County, with about 220 voters eligible in the adjacent county.
