Candidate Profile: Michelle Lewis (Town of Manteo Commissioner)

Michelle Lewis is a candidate for Town of Manteo Commissioner. Her name will appear on the ballot on November 7, 2023.

She is running against five other candidates.

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.

Candidate Name: Michelle Lewis

Age: 44

Race: Town of Manteo Commissioner

Candidate Website: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.for.manteo

Biography:

• Duke University, Certificate, Nonprofit Management.
• Doctorate, Emory University,
• Harvard Kennedy School for Executive Education, Certificate: Leadership, Organizing and Action.
• Master of Environmental Science/ Master of Divinity, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and Yale Divinity School.
• Certificate, Yale Institute of Sacred Music and the Arts.
• USDA GS Graduate School, New Leader Program, Certificate.
• Haskell Indian Nations University, Diversity training, and NAGPRA.
• Master of Arts, Communication, Regent University.
• Bachelor of Arts, Elizabeth City State University, N.C.

I am a former United Nations advisor and a former federal law enforcement officer. I left law enforcement to return to school and got ordained in the United Methodist Church. I currently pastor Roanoke Island Presbyterian Church and am the Executive Director of the Peace Garden Project, a nonprofit I founded. I also teach at Duke Divinity School and serve as a consultant for the North Carolina Rural Center.

Why are you running for this office?

The people need a voice that is willing to hear and consider all the people of the community when making decisions. 

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

• Cleaning up Shallowbag Bay.
• Workforce and Affordable Housing.
• Adequate infrastructure to support the population growth in the Town of Manteo and Dare County.

There are several proposed developments for Roanoke Island. I believe in Smart Growth. When we talk about density, types of structures, and manner of occupancy, we also have to talk about schools and infrastructure, i.e. roads and emergency services. The current infrastructure on Roanoke Island (specifically) is not primed for the projected growth if all of the proposed developments are built. An important question is: How do we work towards sustainable development that isn’t about short-term immediate fixes, but that looks at the long-range picture that includes population density, and care for our environmental resources that are one of the reasons that people have chosen to both live here and to vacation here?

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

A recent provision in the State Budget Appropriations Bill removes zoning restrictions for Dare County and public comment periods so that workforce housing can be developed without allowing the people of Dare County communities to be heard. This should be challenged because people should always have a right to speak and be heard about development in the places they have decided to make their homes. 

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

It is important that even if you don’t get along with someone to still do the work. A disagreement should not keep the necessary work, to keep our communities functioning in a healthy manner from getting done. Sadly, too many of our elected officials don’t remember that they are supposed to be working not just for some of the people, but for all of the people.