A.C. Hurley
FRANKLINVILLE — A.C. Hurley has spent more than two decades in municipal government as a town commissioner in Franklinville.
He’s moving to another seat after an incredibly close election earlier this month.
“I want to get more for the people in the town,” Hurley said.
Hurley received 50 votes. Incumbent Perry Conner, who was seeking a fifth term as mayor, received 49 votes.
Hurley, who has been on the town board for about 28 years, didn’t file for the mayor’s seat until the final day of the filing period in the summer. He said he weighed the pros and cons of giving up his seat as a commissioner.
“I decided I’ll throw my name in there,” he said.
Now, he’ll no longer be a voting member of the board when the change takes place in December.
“I can bring up ideas,” he said. “I’m hoping I can bring up more stuff.”
Hurley, 68, retired from Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. in Asheboro. He runs a lawn mower repair shop in Franklinville.
One of his goals is to clean up Franklinville and make it more visually appealing, Hurley said.
He said he was surprised by the turnout, calling it a good race in that regard.
“A lot of people said they liked me and they liked (Conner) and they weren’t going to vote for mayor,” he said.
It wasn’t the only Franklinville race with close vote totals, though the margins in the other race didn’t have quite the consequences.
For commissioner seats, Richard Goodwin and Brandon Hurley, who’s the newly elected mayor’s son, both received 55 votes. They were the top vote getters in a contest to select three commissioners, so they both remain on the board.
They’ll be joined by William (Billy) Farias, who received 41 votes in the six-person race.
Brandon Hurley also said he thought it was a high turnout for an election without a national or statewide race.
“I was shocked,” he said. “It was higher than I expected.”
Brandon Hurley ran unopposed when he first gained a commissioner’s seat four years ago. He said he would like to see more youth-oriented initiatives gain support in the community.
“What I’m trying to concentrate on is providing things for the children in the area,” he said. “Where we make it affordable for all kids to be involved.”
He said that would mean an emphasis on sports and recreation programs in Franklinville.
The younger Hurley is owner of Carter’s Family Pharmacy in Asheboro.
