5 Questions Answered…

I have lived and worked in the Surf City area for 20 years. Initially I was hired by Hap Alexander at Sears Landing which is where I held a management position for almost 6 years. Upon completing my Bachelors Degree in Chemistry from UNCW I took a position on Camp Lejeune as a contractor working in Information Technology. In my four years there I married my husband of 12 years Adam Hawley and had our son Austin. After Austin was born I decided I wanted to spend more time being a mother and it worked out that Adams company Unique Media & Design was in need of some office help. For the past 8 years I have run the financial, customer service and personnel for the company. In 2018 Austin was one of the starting Kindergarten students at our newly built Surf City Elementary. This was also the year we all experienced Hurricane Florence and everything that came with it. In 2019 I began working with our Surf City Elementary PTA and really getting involved in our school community and children. I am currently still a board member and active part of a very successful PTA. We recently opened a new business Locals Art Gallery & Wine Bar that features local artists which is something we felt the community needed for some time. In June I was appointed to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee for Surf City and I am looking forward to seeing several of the projects in the works come to fruition. In our 20 years here we have been active in several community outreach programs like Paddle 4 Troops, Reel Housewives of Topsail Island, Ocean Fest and Share the Table. One of our favorite parts of Surf City is this small town's ability to give back in a big way. I am a resident of Surf City but not only that I consider myself a long time part of our community..

Who Is Alicia Hawley?

What does running for Town Council mean to me? Being a council member means listening to our citizens and neighbors to see what we are doing right but also what we are doing wrong. Then it is up to me to do the work, do the research and spend the time to determine what we CAN do. We have a wonderful staff working for our community and keeping an open line of communication with them and our citizens is crucial to making the pieces fit. I will be honest and say there are times when no is the answer but you will never get a no without a why. I do not intend to be a person that makes promises without knowing if it is a possibility. A large part of who I am as a person is being able to pass along accurate information in a way that is understandable. Transparency is key and I feel like I can help make that happen.

What?

When is the time to act? Over the past year I have shown up to council meetings, planning board meetings and committee meetings for Surf City. I find it unfortunate that over the past few years an elected position for our town has been designated by the council instead of our town having the opportunity to vote for that position. I am a young, healthy and dedicated community member that has no intention of leaving the Town of Surf City for any reason any time soon. My family and my businesses are all here in Surf City and I will make sure that I maintain my elected position for as long as the people want me.

When?

Where are we as a town? There are a lot of big projects in the works in Surf City currently and I have made it my responsibility to know where we stand on these things. Infrastructure is and always will be a main topic as a council member. I have already had meetings with our town manager to see where some of our infrastructure projects are sitting and what kind of timelines we are working towards including sewer capacity and road maintenance. We have a very large project with the new parks and recreation complex. Being a part of the Parks and Recreation Advisory committee will allow me to have first hand knowledge of the upcoming events for this undertaking. Children in our community are a huge part of what makes us who we are and I will ensure that the complex is accessible for all of our youth. We are all aware of the beach renourishment project but what does that really mean? What is the timeline for this project and how will we make sure that our homeowners and property managers are aware of how that will impact them? I would be instrumental in making sure this information gets to any relevant parties and that they truly understand what this means.

Where?

Why am I running for Town Council? This is our town. A town that I have watched grow and change and prosper. But what makes Surf City a place that everyone wants to be a part of is its people. We have the ability to act as a unit when necessary. We show up when people need help and we provide when someone cannot do it for themselves. You can walk into a place and be greeted with a smile and whether you are a visitor or a resident we are happy you are here. Any town will grow and change but we need the basis of Surf City to remain intact. That is our community feel and our love for each other. I want to be instrumental in making sure that small businesses are our focus and we find a way to entice new businesses that we need to our community. I want to make sure that our playgrounds are accessible for children of all ages and abilities. I want to make sure that you can talk to your neighbor if it's where you live or where you work and find resolutions that work for everyone. My goal is to be the person you come to for information or help and know that I will do everything in my power to get you what you need. Someone asked me why I am doing this especially right now with multiple businesses and other community involvement that I am currently working and invested in? The answer for me is simple…

“I want Surf City to be a place that one day Austin (our son) will love and want to come live and raise his family, the same place that I love and currently live and raise my family”.

Why?

“I am your neighbor. I am your your friend. I am your voice.”

Thank you for your support!

— Alicia Hawley

Contact

Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Email
hawleyforcouncil@gmail.com

Phone
910.431.2411