Doug Wilson was sworn in as the Mayor of Kannapolis during the December 8 meeting of the Kannapolis City Council. He is the sixth person to serve as Mayor of the City. He was first elected to serve on the City Council in 2013. His term of office is for four years.
Kannapolis is governed by a Mayor and a City Council, consisting of six members who are elected to staggered terms. Annually, Council elects one of its members to serve as Mayor Pro Tem. Ryan Dayvault was elected to the position of Mayor Pro Tem at last night’s meeting. Isaiah Payne was sworn in to his first four-year term as a City Council Member. Naomi Hatchell was sworn in to take a two-year seat on City Council, her first term. Dianne Berry and Jeanne Dixon were sworn in to serve new four-year terms following their reelection to the City Council. They join Council Members Ryan Dayvault and Darrell Jackson.
“I hope to bring a sense of cooperation to the City Council, always making every effort to put citizens first. Kannapolis has great citizens and I feel we can listen more to them going forward. Promoting sensible solid growth along with better communication with leaders in Rowan and Cabarrus along with the school systems is a must,” Mayor Wilson said.
A native of Cabarrus County, Mayor Wilson, is a graduate of A.L. Brown High School. He attended Rowan Cabarrus Community College and Central Piedmont Community College. He is the owner of Midsouth Medical Supplies and the current COO and General Manager of Publicom, Inc.
A member of Trinity United Methodist Church, he is active in the community serving as the president of the A.L. Brown High School Athletic Booster Club since 2001. He has served as a girls’ basketball coach at A.L. Brown High School, Kannapolis Middle School, Concord First Assembly, Vance High School and North Mecklenburg High School.
He and his wife, Cathy, have two daughters, three grandchildren and two great grandchildren. He enjoys fishing whenever possible.
Naomi Hatchell is a native of Minnesota and moved to Kannapolis in 1995. She holds a B.A. in Spanish from Eastern Kentucky University. She works as a data analyst. Naomi is active in various community organizations including serving as Secretary of the Piedmont Farmers Market Board, a member of the City of Kannapolis Environmental Stewardship Committee, and the Cabarrus Health Alliance Community Recovery and Resiliency Committee.
Naomi is a member of Multiply Church where she has led small groups, mission trips and a weekly prayer group focused on government and community leaders. She is also the founder of the TPUSA Faith at CabCo group which encourages faith-based civic engagement.
She and her husband, Curtis, enjoy spending time with their many nieces and nephews, and taking cruises.
“As a council member, I look forward to promoting transparency, investing wisely in infrastructure, and supporting growth that strengthens neighborhoods while preserving the character of our City. I am honored to serve and will continue to lead with faith, courage and common sense,” she commented.
Isaiah Payne is from Burke County. He is a graduate of Burke Middle College and is attending Montreat College. He works with Turning Point USA and is a member of The Refuge Church.
He and his wife, Cailey, have a dog, Abby, and a cat, Remington. They like meeting new people, going on cruises and visiting the beach and trying new restaurants.
“I want to be a voice for my generation and to help ensure that Kannapolis remains a place where new families can begin and established families can continue to thrive. I look forward to representing my neighbors and peers by advocating for smarter growth that supports all kinds of families in Kannapolis, ensuring our law enforcement officers and firefighters are well supported, and finding ways to preserve the City’s history while embracing the growth coming to this beautiful community,” he commented.
Dianne Berry was sworn in to serve her fourth term. She was born in Mooresville and is a graduate of A.L. Brown High School and King’s College. She completed the N.C. Municipal Clerk’s Certification Program at UNC-CH’s School of Government.
Her work experience includes serving as the Office Manager of Trull Clinic of Chiropractic, Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent at Kannapolis City Schools, Clerk to the Board of Health and Human Resources Benefits Manager at Cabarrus Health Alliance.
She is active in community organizations including serving as president of the Kannapolis Chapter of the Firefighter’s Burned Children’s Fund, the Cabarrus County Jury Commission and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (UNC) at the North Carolina Research Campus.
Dianne enjoys helping people with their Medicare Plans as an N.C. Licensed Insurance Agent.
“As I enter this fourth term on the Council I look forward to more transparency about Council decisions with our citizens, more face-to-face opportunities with our citizens, new city leadership, new opportunities for team building with city employees, exploring the staffing needs of the Kannapolis Police and Fire Departments, and most importantly, serving alongside our newly elected Mayor and City Council in a setting that fosters understanding, cohesiveness and respect. I also look forward to addressing our crime issues and making sure our citizens are more aware of crime reports as they are taking place and not 24 hours later, sit down discussions on what is working within our City and what isn’t and cutting unnecessary expenses,” she said.
She and her husband, Cecil L. Berry, Jr., recently celebrated their 50th anniversary and they have two sons.
Jeanne Dixon was sworn in to serve her second term on the City Council. A native of Concord, she holds a B.S. degree in Organizational Management from Barber-Scotia College. Jeanne is retired from the Cabarrus County Department of Social Services where she worked as a Program Manager for the Child Support Division. She is also retired from the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts where she served as District Administrator for the Guardian ad Litem Program.
She is a lifetime member of Price Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church. Jeanne serves on the Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Board of Trustees, Cabarrus County NAACP, Cabarrus Health Alliance Community Health Center Board, Sisters-in-Partnership Coordinator and is a charter member of Carolina Pines (NC) Chapter of the Links. She formerly served on the Cabarrus Partnership for Children, Cooperative Christian Ministry, Cabarrus Free Clinic and Kannapolis Planning and Zoning Board.
She was married to the late Thomas Dixon for 52 years. She has a daughter and two granddaughters. Her mother, Pearl Asbury, resides in Concord. She loves to read and is a charter member of Val’s Book Club.
“During my second term of office, I will advocate for the quality of life for our residents by continuing the work of the current council and staff as our City continues to move forward. The Imagine Kannapolis initiative supports employee retention, recruitment of quality employees and promotes fiscal responsibility. I believe these initiatives will keep our City vibrant,” Mrs. Dixon commented.
Ryan Dayvault is serving his fourth term on City Council. He is a native of Kannapolis with his family history deeply entrenched in the history of the City. His great-great grandfather sold the family farm to J.W. Cannon in 1905, and it became the site of Cannon Mills Plant 1 and the City of Kannapolis.
A graduate of A.L. Brown High School, he received a B.A. degree in Political Science and Public Administration with a minor in Business Administration from Catawba College. He is the Associate Director of Operations at UNC-CH’s Nutrition Research Institute on the N.C. Research Campus.
His community involvement includes serving on the Kannapolis Board of Adjustment, the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce, the Cabarrus County Chamber of Commerce, Kannapolis Friends of the Library, Kannapolis Booster Club, Kannapolis Education Foundation, and the Catawba College Alumni Association.
“I take great pride in working to the betterment of my hometown and representing its citizens,” he commented.
He and his wife, Traci, enjoy spending time with his mother, Leslie, and Traci’s family, working on classic cars, radios and preserving elements of Kannapolis history.
Darrell Jackson has served the City Council for ten years. He is a native of Cabarrus County. He is a graduate of Central Piedmont Community College and the Devry Institute of Technology with a concentration in Communications.
He has been the owner operator of Apparel Unlimited (Lee Clothing Warehouse) in downtown Kannapolis for 47 years.
His community involvement includes serving as the Vice-President of Downtown Kannapolis, Inc., the Board of CK Rider and he is involved in his United Methodist Church. His hobbies include a love of playing music including guitar, drums and keyboard.
“I have been a businessperson for 50 years and I understand what it means to use taxpayers’ money wisely. We need experienced leaders who can make smart decisions because they understand how business works. Growth is exploding and with that growth we have to make important smart decisions,” Jackson said.
The Kannapolis City Council meets the second and fourth Mondays of each month.