Incumbents win in Waynesville
Waynesville’s downtown reflects both progress and challenges as recovery from Hurricane Helene continues across Haywood County.
Cory Vaillancourt photo
For the second election cycle in a row, a candidate who refused to speak to any media outlets in the Town of Waynesville prior to Election Day has come up short in a bid to join the Town Council.
Landen Stevenson, a Waynesville real estate agent, demanded interview questions from The Smoky Mountain News in advance of what would have been a pre-scheduled campaign interview. When Stevenson’s request was refused — SMN does not provide questions in advance to any candidates seeking office — he failed to respond to an interview request. He also didn't speak to reporters at The Mountaineer.
Stevenson’s blunder echoes a stance made in 2023 by a group of candidates calling themselves “Team Waynesville.”
But voters, facing a choice between continuity and change this year as the town’s long recovery from Hurricane Helene and years of infrastructure strain entered a new phase, again chose two incumbents, Julia Freeman and Anthony Sutton, who sought reelection by arguing that steady hands and long-term planning remain essential for one of the region’s largest municipalities west of Asheville.
With a $40 million annual budget and a population hovering around 10,000, Waynesville continues to shoulder regional responsibilities as Haywood County’s economic powerhouse while also managing its own recovery from storm damage.
Both incumbents pointed to progress on the long-delayed wastewater treatment plant, now nearing completion, as proof that persistence and planning can pay off.
Related Items
HART presents ‘Beetlejuice Jr.’
HCAC ‘Small Works’ exhibit
Folkmoot welcomes Rudy’s Bluegrass Revue
Western North Carolina voters look to move forward
The town’s finances were another major focus. Despite costly repairs and FEMA delays, Waynesville avoided a property tax increase this year by drawing from reserves. Fiscal restraint and debt avoidance remain popular themes among residents wary of higher bills. Both candidates stressed collaboration with state and federal partners to keep projects moving without overburdening taxpayers.
Affordable housing and public safety also shaped the campaign. With a fire station expansion and ladder truck replacement still pending, candidates urged early budgeting to avoid rising costs.
Both described housing as Waynesville’s next major challenge, calling for development that supports local workers without undermining neighborhood character.
Freeman and Sutton will now rejoin an experienced Town Council under Mayor Gary Caldwell and alongside fellow incumbents Chuck Dickson and Jon Feichter.
Stevenson finished with 622 votes to Sutton’s 947 and Freeman’s 1,004.
Results are considered unofficial until county boards of elections certify them on Nov. 14, 2025.
