that vision. He became a more and more visible presence in town. Eventually, he was so well known and admired around Fuquay-Varina that when a vacancy opened on the town board in 1987, Harris was approached about filling it. He agreed and was appointed to the role. He won his first election in 1989, and has won every re-election since. “I never imagined I would be in public service this long,” Harris said. “It started as something I thought I’d do for a little while, but now it is a part of who I am.” In what would become a theme for Harris, he involved himself as fully as possible. Later in this career, when he wanted to become a better public speaker, he didn’t just participate in Toastmasters (the nonprofit organization dedicated to public speaking education), he became president of the local Toastmasters club. When he wanted to engage with policy statewide, he didn’t just get involved with the NC League of Municipalities, he joined the board of directors, eventually becoming president. He didn’t just join the town board of commissioners, he went back to school and earned his Master’s of Public Administration. While this degree leads many into local government work and Board Profile: William Harris continues on page 22 elected office, it is exceedingly rare for people to pursue this education after holding public office. It reflects a true commitment to education, and for Harris, revealed the inner workings of local government. Now knowing how the machine works, he’s been able to navigate challenges and leverage strengths for 30-plus years. “You have quantitative analysis, public personnel management, public budgeting, finance—all of those things are relative to this particular job,” Harris said. “It has allowed me to understand the areas that are important as far as running the city.” His list of accomplishments proves the case. Harris remembers hitting the ground running early bringing the town up to speed with some administrative best practices, such as a strategic plan. Using that framework, Fuquay-Varina was able to set forth a long-term vision, with retreats each year and comprehensive updates every five years. That forward-looking approach has proved invaluable given the town’s population increase in recent decades. “It was one of the things I learned in school,” Harris said. “It allows us to not just plan services, but investments and Here is this 90-year-old woman, born in the 1800s, who as an African American has lived through segregation and through Jim Crow and through so much. I wasn’t just a candidate for the town board—I was a sign of progress. To Ma Lannie, I represented hope. It still resonates with me. It’s my core motivation for public service. » William Harris, Fuquay-Varina Commissioner, NCLM President NCLM.ORG 21
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