Holly Springs Mayor Dick Sears has decided he is not finished serving the community he has called home since 1995.

On the afternoon of July 9, Sears filed his bid for reelection with the Wake County Board of Election. He has served as Holly Spring’s Mayor since December 2001. Sears will face off against former Holly Springs Mayor Gerald Holleman and Bobbie David Austin in the November election.

Sears said there were several reasons he ran for mayor.

“I enjoy the job,” Sears said. “I think I have made a difference, but there is still much work to be done. I also appreciated the significant amount of phone calls, visits, and emails encouraging me to run again (for the third time). As a former Mayor told me some time ago, "it gets in your blood".

Sears said he has experienced many accomplishments while serving as Mayor. He said some of his accomplishments have been working with the children in area schools, creating the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Board and bringing new commercial businesses to the community. Since becoming mayor, the town has seen Novartis, several banks, the Employee’s Credit Union, three shopping centers and Main Street Square settle into the community. Sears said he is also proud that he has a commitment from Rex Hospital to build an Urgent Care Center and the commitment with Novant Healthcare to bring their hospital to Holly Springs. Although officials said the community cannot have a hospital, Sears said he refuses to give up the fight.

According to Sears, Holly Springs also has the highest projected increase from a financial outlook in the town’s 2010 budget and the town has not seen a tax increase in eight years.

While serving as mayor, Holly Springs has been honored by Relocate America as a Top 100 Places to Live (2008, 2009), by Forbes Magazine as the 18th Fastest Growing Suburb in America (2007), by Money Magazine's Top 20 Best Places to Live in the United States (2005) and 22nd in (2007), Money Magazine's Top 20 Best Places to Retire (2005), being named the Safest Town for its size in N.C. from SBI statistics (2005, 2007).

Other accomplishments Sears has achieved while serving as mayor is writing “From the Desk of the Mayor” column for the Holly Springs Sun, being named Wake County’s Mayor Association’s “Mayor of the Year” in 2005, Holly Spring’s Chamber of Commerce “Citizen of the Year” in 2002 and being recognized as good to work with by the town staff in a recent survey.

Sears said he is a very transparent mayor and has been accessible to the citizens 24 hours a day. He said he works much longer hours than the part-time mayor’s roles require.

Sears said his job as mayor has not come without challenges.

“Although most challenges have been met in my opinion, our roads (working with DOT), and for the last four years working with the Town Council to try to instill teamwork and a positive direction for the Town versus personal political agendas (might apply to just one individual) are continuing issues,” Sears said.

Sears said he hopes to be reelected to finish the job he started.

“While I am sure there are others that could do a good job, my last 8 years as mayor have seen a dramatic and positive change in our Town. I want to continue that process and with my networking and with the knowledge of the various people we need to work with at the federal, state, municipal, and local levels. I don't think we need to start over again. However, no one should take all the credit for the accomplishments in Holly Springs, but I have been involved in most-some more than others. I also feel I represent the current and the future Holly Springs while having respect for the past. I look forward with a glass over half-full to the bright future of our great big, small Town.”

If Sears is reelected he said there are several things he would like to accomplish. He said he would like to continue to work on behalf of the citizens on an everyday basis, to get a hospital, and an urgent care facility. He would to continue to work towards a new community center, the enhanced downtown project and would like to see more sidewalks, more upscale, family friendly restaurants, perhaps even a skateboard park and a dog park.

“These are just a few of the goals I envision for our future as we continue to work for the needs and desires of our citizens,” Sears said.

When not serving as mayor, Sears serves as a charter member and current board member of the Kiwanis and Civitan Clubs, a charter member of the Rotary Club, a former chair and current board member of the Crescent State Bank, the founder and current board director of the Mayor's Youth Advisory Board, a member of the Holly Springs United Methodist Church, and a member of the Southwest Board of the Department of Health and Human Services Regional Network.

Sears said he has enjoyed his time living in the Holly Springs community and said he chose living in Holly Springs over several other communities.

“We chose this town over towns in not only North Carolina but also in South Carolina and Tennessee. We made a good choice. As one citizen stated recently, ‘It is a magical town.’"