Candidate Profile: William M. “Pastor Mac” McCarty (Isle of Wight County Board of Supervisors – District 2)

William M. “Pastor Mac” McCarty is a candidate for Isle of Wight County Board of Supervisors – District 2. His name will appear on the ballot on November 7, 2023.

McCarty is running against Tracy M. Hendrix.

10 On Your Side reached out to all of the candidates running in this race with specific questions. The responses below came directly from the candidate and are unedited. If you do not see the candidate listed with a profile, we did not receive one.

Name: William M. “Pastor Mac” McCarty

Age: 46

Race: Isle of Wight County Board of Supervisors – District 2

Website: https://williammccarty.org/

Biography: Pastor William M. McCarty Sr. is an Ordained Bishop in the Church of God in Cleveland, Tennessee, and has served as the Lead Pastor of Healing Waters Worship Center in Carrollton, Virginia, for 24 years. Pastor MAC, as he is known to his congregation and many throughout the community, has a strong sense of community and demonstrates this in the numerous community services offered in Isle of Wight County. Residing in Carrollton with his wife of 27 years, Pastor William M. McCarty Sr. has been a viable and visible community servant leader since 1999. They have two wonderful kids, Mason, 25, and Elizabeth, 24. Both married, and his first granddaughter, Ryleigh. He holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling (Clinical Mental Health), specializing in Family, Trauma, and Addiction. He is a certified marriage counselor with many other certifications and experience. He carries a Master’s level Certification as a Virginia Certified County Supervisor through VA Tech / UVA through the Cooperative Extension of Virginia. He has multiple certifications in Leadership Development, Behavioral Analyses, Personality Profiling, Business Management, Community Services Chaplaincy, Advanced Community Chaplaincy specializing in addiction and trauma-related incidents, and Crisis Intervention with Trauma Counseling. He is the current Supervisor for District 2, formerly the Newport District, of the Isle of Wight County Board of Supervisors. He is the current elected Chairman of the HRTPO, comprising 15 municipalities in Hampton Roads. Elected as VACo’s 2nd Vice President (VA Association of Counties) out of 96 Counties in VA, he represents IOW County on many fronts. He holds numerous other elected or appointed positions throughout the region and the Commonwealth of VA, representing Isle of Wight County. His latest appointment was to the Virginia School Boards Association Task Force to address School Construction and Infrastructure Funding Needs. William “Pastor MAC” McCarty will represent the Virginia Association of Counties and Isle of Wight County as the only non-school affiliated locally elected government representative appointed on the Task Force.

Why are you running for this office?

To be selected to serve people in our community is a calling and an honor that is never taken lightly. I’m running for re-election because there’s still work to be done, and I feel up to the task. These local tasks include the following: Public Safety as we partner with the Sheriff’s Department to provide needed deputies and services across the county and within our schools. I have been a part of adding some 14 new deputies these last several years and worked closely with our Sheriff and his key staff on budgetary needs. Tasks within our Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services as they provide committed service to our citizens using a unique but favorable construct of volunteer and full-time staffing. We must continue diversifying our tax base through business development and job creation while standing behind our small businesses. Tasks within funding our public schools to provide necessary funding that meets the needs of the students, the staff, and the expectations of our taxpayers. Tasks that keep our taxes low and keep the government living within its means. All these things and more must done while keeping our rural character as a collective whole. Not running for election would cause Isle of Wight County to lose out at the Regional and State level, having this last year been elected and appointed to various posts that provide influence on behalf of Isle of Wight Citizens. Finally, I am a person who values integrity, values serving people, and whose morals and values are not up for sale at any time to anyone. I will remain accessible to our citizens as I have been these eight years as I continue to stand with them alongside other Supervisors to ensure our Constitutional County is preserved, protected, and prosperous. Serving people in our community is a calling and an honor that is never taken lightly.

What is the most important issue facing the county, and what is your position on it?

1. County Public Schools – We have infrastructure needs such as building another replacement school as we have done with Hardy Elementary School. There are transportation needs, competitive pay for our teachers, and all the components of school funding. Most may not realize that once the Board of Supervisors approves the school’s presented budget and releases those funds, the controls are left at the feet of the School Board and Superintendent. I will continue to partner with the schools as I have done these last eight years to fund education for our children. We have funded numerous CTE programs, provided raises to employees that the State left behind (non-SOQ), and built a replacement school (Hardy Elementary), all while not raising taxes and managing the trust that the citizens have placed in us. We must continue to fund our schools within our means and according to the systematic plan from the school board. This requires intentional collaboration and coordination.
2. Workforce Housing – As we grow and increase jobs in our intermodal park and see more retail or commercial development, we need a housing model that is attainable to the workforce in the County. We want those employed by these companies to be able to live in our community as well. We began looking at these in the last couple of years. We must find a viable plan for workforce housing in Isle of Wight County.
3. Senior Care – Our Senior population is steadily growing, and we must address the needs and concerns within our community. While we have given greater tax relief to our Seniors, we must seek to do more. The cost of basic living expenses has risen, then add in the high cost of prescriptions, physicians, and procedures, and the need becomes crippling to many Seniors. I understand that the local government has no control over prescriptions and physicians. However, the good we can provide is through programs and incentives that decrease our Senior’s liabilities and allow Seniors more disposable income to meet their needs better. There is a housing solution that is needed whereby Seniors can live without being devastated by the high monthly rent and or absurd house payments. There must be a creative, collaborative approach to solving this issue alongside the private sector.
4. People with Disabilities – We have a newly formed commission looking at the total needs of the people with disabilities within the population of our County. We need to find, frame, and facilitate a greater awareness of and a better response toward these citizens, their families, and caregivers impacted by this. Once again, there must be a creative, collaborative approach to solving this issue alongside the private sector.
5. Continued Transparency – Since I began public office, we have worked hard to make our county government transparent. From quarterly town hall meetings to putting the county budget and finances online so that our citizens can access it, to being accessible daily to citizen calls, office visits, emails, social media messages, and in our grocery stores, restaurants, and 7-11. I will remain visible, viable, and accessible to the citizens I serve.
6. Broadband initiative: Complete Our full broadband initiative so that the whole of the Isle of Wight County can access high-speed internet.

What is the top challenge facing your district, and how would you address it?

Managing the growth within the Newport DSD (Developmental Service District) to ensure the right infrastructure is in place for these carved-out and targeted growth areas. Most of this is in my district. Riverside Hospital is coming to our County within the Newport DSD, and we are thrilled as many underserved citizens will be able to get quality health care. Part of the reason is that we have managed growth. Yet, we still must continue our due diligence in all these things. It is important to note that most of the growth in the Newport DSD in Carrollton was approved all the way back to the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. The State of VA does not allow sunset clauses on approvals, meaning no Board of Supervisors may retract an approval once given in this regard. Many decades ago, the citizens voted and formed the DSD (Developmental Service District) concept. This allowed 15% of the County’s land mass to be designated for targeted growth while the other 85% remained rural without any urban sprawl, which preserves our Rural Community. This is a binding rule that governs the county community development staff and the Planning Commission in their deliberation, as well as all zoning ordinances and development.

How do you feel about the politicization of public education?

Passionate issues always seem to bring with them eventual politicization. When parents feel they are not considered in the education of their children, the result is politicization. When parents feel they are the last to know or to be consulted in their child’s education, politicization happens. When any elected leader tells parents they do not have a right to know anything or everything concerning their child’s physical and mental health or the choices their children are making, politicization happens. Reading, writing, arithmetic, skill building, gift development, social interaction, work ethic, and a safe space to grow and learn, along with so much more, is what education is supposed to be about. Finally, when passion collides with politicization, it is then that we are brought to the precipices of change.

How do you plan to manage growth while also protecting the quality of life residents bought into?

Isle of Wight County is unique in many ways. One of those ways is with the identification of and the delineation of DSDs or Developmental Service Districts. Many decades ago, the citizens voted and formed the DSD (Developmental Service District) concept, which is now a part of the County’s Comprehensive Plan. Isle of Wight County has three: Newport (Carrollton), Windsor, and Camptown (near Franklin). This allowed for 15% of the County’s land mass to be designated for targeted growth while the other 85% remained rural without any urban sprawl, which preserves our Rural Community and heritage. This is a binding rule that governs the county community development staff and the Planning Commission in their deliberation, as well as all zoning ordinances and development. Managed growth is important as we wouldn’t have Riverside Hospital coming to our County

If we had not had properly managed growth within our community. It is important to note that most of the growth in the Newport DSD, which makes up most of my election district, district 2, was approved all the way back to the late 1990’s. The Commonwealth of VA does not allow sunset clauses on approvals, meaning no Board of Supervisors may retract an approval once given in this regard. This means we must be strategic in our growth and ensure all developmental applications are fully and properly vetted. We protect the quality of life by not expanding beyond the 15% and adhering to that design. We must also ensure that taxes are kept low, and that our fiduciary responsibility is solid and

What is your view on unlimited campaign contributions? Should that change?

This is a matter for the state legislature of VA to grapple with, and I will support the code of VA and the rule of law in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

How will you still value constituents and politicians with whom you disagree?

I will do as I have always done. I will value people, embrace people, and affirm people over any problem, challenge, or disagreement. We have many shared values and connecting points in our community. Focusing on what we agree on and learning through what we disagree on is a part of the journey. Disagreement is like a sharpening stone to a culinary knife; it is what makes us all sharper and better towards one another in the community.