Blackwater Reports Inc. maintains a neutral stance and will neither endorse nor oppose any candidate for political office. Questions posed to political candidates will be uniform and consistent across all individuals running for the same political position.

BlackwaterReports asked:

1. Who are you, and why are you running?
2. What are your top three priorities?
3. Will you commit to your voters that you will fight for your priorities?

These are Tony Angell’s unedited responses:

I am a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and have spent the majority of my adult life in the intelligence sector working for the Department of Defense.  I have worked with some of the most prestigious units in our military where decision-making was critical to mission success.  I am involved in the community through the Ruritans, serving as a board member, vice president, and president of the Knotts Island chapter for two terms.   I am active in youth athletics by coaching wrestling for 2 years at Moyock Middle and then moving to the high school wrestling team this year.  I am, at my core, an engineer.  I solve problems and I enjoy the challenge of developing solutions to them.  I work hard, I am loyal, and I am dedicated to making a change in Currituck County.  The current state of Currituck County is in disarray.  We have unchecked residential growth with stagnant commercial growth.  We have a failure to plan accordingly and have been in a reactionary mode for too long.  We need people who are willing to do the hard work of talking to residents and getting feedback, developing solutions, and having open discourse on issues and policies that shape the county.  Determine smart fiscal plans that align with the long-term plan so we are not wasting tax dollars with reactionary spending.

Make changes to the unified development plan as well as the land use plan to limit and slow down residential growth.  We need to resolve current infrastructure projects and push them towards completion.  Things like the current sewer system need to be expanded and improved to make way for commercial growth in the county.  Increasing commercial growth will help offset some of the tax burden that falls on residents as well as provide meaningful services to the community.  Fiscal responsibility when it comes to spending.  We also need to ensure with this growth that things like Fire, EMS, and Public Safety departments do not get underwater, and with the increased growth, proper planning will be key to ensure they have the staffing they need to keep the community safe.

Yes, I will as I always have in life fight for what I believe is correct.  I will listen to the communities of the county and work to provide solutions to the issues they face.  Currituck is a uniquely challenged area with multiple distinct regions in the county, and things that work for Moyock will not always work for Carova or Corolla, I believe that by working with each group we can tailor the policies of the county to fit each unique region to address the issues.  I look forward to working with the citizens of those areas and hearing from them.