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Public Hearings List
Due to extreme fire danger caused by ongoing drought conditions and little to no rain in the forecast, all campfires are strictly prohibited at any campground during Merlefest weekend.
We understand that enjoying a campfire is a big part of the camping experience during MerleFest. However, current conditions create a serious risk for rapid fire spread, and for the safety of our community and visitors, this precaution is necessary.
This decision has been made through a coordinated effort between the Town of Wilkesboro Fire Marshal, the Wilkes County Fire Marshal’s Office, and the North Carolina Forest Service.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding and cooperation in helping keep everyone safe.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.
Jonah B. Absher
Fire Marshal, Wilkesboro Fire Department, 400 S. Cherry St., Wilkesboro, NC 28697, (336) 667-6228
Robbie Bolin
Fire Marshal, Wilkes Co. Fire Marshal’s Office, 580 Poplar Grove Rd., Wilkesboro, NC 28697, (336) 921-7533
Jeremiah Greene
Wilkes Co. Ranger, N. C. Forest Service, 638 New Browns Ford Rd., Wilkesboro, NC 28697, (336) 973-4104
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BURN BAN IN EFFECT FOR THE TOWN OF WILKESBORO
Saturday, March 28, 2026
Effective immediately, the Town of Wilkesboro Fire Department Fire Marshal, in coordination with the Wilkes County Fire Marshal’s Office, has issued a local burn ban on ALL outdoor burning within the town limits of Wilkesboro.
This ban prohibits any open burning within 100 feet of any structure, regardless of previously issued burn permits or existing town ordinances. Prohibited activities include, but are not limited to:
• Recreational fires
• Portable outdoor fireplaces|
• Burning of yard debris
• Outdoor fire pits
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT SPECIAL USE PERMIT
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Zoning Board of Adjustment of the Town of Wilkesboro will hold a Public Hearing on Monday, April 20, 2026, at 5:15 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers at Wilkesboro Town Hall, 203 West Main Street, Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
The purpose of this hearing is to receive public comments regarding a Special Use Permit request submitted by Resource Housing Group on behalf of Wilkes Development Company, LLC, for property located at TBD Olive Drive, Wilkesboro, North Carolina, identified as Parcel ID 3858-01-1531, containing approximately 2.48 acres.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
The Town of Wilkesboro will be holding a public hearing to solicit citizen input on the submission of applications for Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Relief Funds (CDBG-DR) funds. The CDBG funds will be used to assist the Town with Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.
A public hearing is scheduled for Monday, April 13, 2026, at 5:30 pm at the Wilkesboro Town Hall located at 203 West Main Street, Wilkesboro, NC. All interested citizens are invited to attend.
home > town government > wilkesboro's history > town council members & town clerks historical list
| Mayors | Year | Mayors | Year | Mayors | Year |
| J. G. Hackett | 1889 | J. L. Webster | 1899 | H. A. Cranor | 1941 |
| Jessie T. Ferguson | 1892 | Frank B. Hendren | 1899 | W. E. Smithey | 1946 |
| J. G. Hackett | 1893 | Milton McNeil | 1901 | A. B. Somers | 1953 |
| J. M. Turner | 1895 | John W. White, M.D. | 1903 | C. G. Bumgarner | 1953 |
| C. F. Morrison | 1895 | R. M. Staley | 1905 | Fidell F. Frazier | 1973 |
| H. L. Green | 1896 | H. A. Cranor | 1909 | Pete M. Mann | 1995 |
| J. F. Somers | 1897 | Charles G. Gilreath | 1921 | Normal Call | 1999 |
| Milton McNeil | 1897 | H. A. Cranor | 1925 | Mike Inscore | 2007 |
| T. M. Crysel | 1898 | W. E. Harris | 1931 | Dale Isom | 12/06/23 |
| E. M. Welborn | 1899 | J. F. Jordan | 1937 |
| Town Council Members | Year | Town Council Members | Year | Town Council Members | Year |
| D. E. Smoak | 1889 | B. J. Kennedy | 1905 | Arlon A. Triplett | 1947 |
| I. T. Prevette | 1889 | J. L. Webster | 1905 | Russell G. Pearson | 1951 |
| J. C. Hubbard | 1889 | A. L. Combs | 1905 | Robert R. Smoak | 1953 |
| T. S. Miller | 1889 | C. W. Carlton | 1908 | Charlie G. Bumgarner | 1953 |
| John R. Henderson | 1890 | N. B. Smithy | 1908 | William C. Gray | 1953 |
| Joseph Welborn | 1890 | Linville Bumgarner | 1909 | George Kennedy | 1957 |
| Elbert Wallace | 1891 | J. C. Hubbard | 1909 | James T. Kinlaw, O.D | 1957 |
| William McNeill | 1891 | W. W. Barber | 1909 | M. G. Edwards, D.V.M. | 1959 |
| R. M. Staley | 1891 | Joseph M. Privette | 1912 | Ray Stroud | 1963 |
| D. E. Smoak | 1892 | J. C. Hubbard | 1912 | Fidell F. Frazier | 1963 |
| J. F. Somers | 1892 | Nike B. Smithey | 1912 | Richard P. Absher | 1965 |
| R. A.Deal | 1892 | W. W. Barber | 1913 | Joe Barber | 1967 |
| W. W. Lenderman | 1892 | D. R. Edwards | 1913 | Joe H. Pearson | 1971 |
| J. R. Coffey | 1893 | J. T. Welborn | 1913 | Fred C. Henderson | 1971 |
| E. Wallace | 1893 | Charlie H. Cowles | 1915 | Glenn Johnson. | 1973 |
| Chrles H. Somers | 1893 | W. F. Miller | 1915 | Jim Jenkins | 1973 |
| J. M. Welborn | 1893 | Joseph M. Prevette | 1915 | John P. "Poddy" Horton | 1973 |
| S. J. Jennings | 1893 | Thomas M. Foster | 1916 | George P. "Red" Snyder | 1974 |
| E. M. Pardue | 1894 | R. B. Pharr | 1916 | Ray S. Triplette | 1977 |
| Joseph Lewis | 1895 | J. T. Prevette | 1916 | William S. Thomas | 1977 |
| Noah Parlier | 1895 | Carl A. Lowe | 1917 | John P. "Poddy" Horton | 1981 |
| Colubus Morrison | 1895 | A. C. Dennis | 1921 | Glenn Johnson | 1981 |
| Elisha Welborn | 1895 | Presley E. Brown | 1921 | George P. "Red" Snyder | 1982 |
| J. S. Cranor | 1895 | W. F. Miller | 1923 | Joe C. McMillian | 1982 |
| W. C. Winkler | 1895 | T. M. Foster | 1923 | Rebecca McMillian | 1992 |
| B. S. Call | 1896 | W. B. Somers | 1925 | Dennis R. Riddle | 1993 |
| R. M. Staley | 1896 | Norman O. Smoak | 1925 | Tommy Bumgarner | 1995 |
| J. M. Welborn | 1896 | J. R. Henderon | 1925 | James S. Hartley | 1997 |
| J. F. Somers | 1896 | William C. Pearson | 1925 | Mike Inscore | 1997 |
| W. A. Berry | 1896 | W. E. Harris | 1929 | Tommy Bumgarner | 1999 |
| David R. Edwards | 1897 | W. W. Barber | 1929 | Mike Inscore | 1999 |
| John W. White, M.D. | 1897 | Joe H. Pearson | 1929 | James S. Hartley | 2001 |
| Joseph T. Welborn | 1897 | B. J. Kennedy | 1929 | Tommy Bumgarner | 2003 |
| William W. Barker | 1897 | W. E. Smithey | 1930 | Mike Inscore | 2003 |
| E. Wallace | 1898 | C. E. Lenderman | 1931 | Gary Blevins | 2003 |
| Frank D. Hackett | 1898 | Claude Kennedy | 1931 | James S. Hartley | 2005 |
| W. C. Winkler | 1898 | O. F. Eller | 1932 | Everette "Skipper" Solomon | 2006 |
| J. M. Welborn | 1898 | H. A. Cranor | 1932 | Sam Stroud | 2007 |
| C. H. Cowles | 1899 | Joe Barber | 1933 | Jimmy C. Hayes | 2007 |
| E. Wallace | 1899 | Ralph Reins | 1933 | J. Gary Johnson | 2009 |
| J. M. Welborn | 1899 | L. B. Dula | 1935 | Nellie Archibald | 2009 |
| W. C. Winkler | 1899 | J. R. Henderon | 1935 | Jimmy C. Hayes | 2011 |
| J. H. Lewis | 1899 | C. A. Lowe | 1935 | Michael Testerman | 2011 |
| J. L. Webster | 1899 | C. T. Doughton | 1935 | Russell F. Ferree | 2013 |
| W. W. Vannoy | 1899 | W. E. Smithey | 1935 | Claude Andrew Soots | 2013 |
| C. H.Cowles | 1899 | W. A. Stroud | 1935 | Jimmy C. Hayes | 2015 |
| J. C. Hubbard | 1900 | W. A. Stroud | 1937 | J. Gary Johnson | 2015 |
| C. J. Cowles | 1900 | W. E. Smithey | 1937 | Nellie Archibald | 2017 |
| W.W. Vannoy | 1900 | James Lowe | 1937 | Russell F. Ferree | 2017 |
| J. L. Webster | 1900 | G. T. Mitchell, M.D. | 1937 | Claude Andrew Soots | 2019 |
| Rufus A. Spainhour | 1901 | Sherman T. Colvard | 1941 | Jimmy C. Hayes | 2019 |
| Milton McNeill | 1901 | C. E. Lenderman | 1941 | Russell F. Ferree | 2021 |
| James M. Welborn | 1901 | Paul Osborne | 1942 | Nellie Archibald | 2021 |
| D. R. Edwards | 1901 | Russell Gray JR. | 1945 | Jimmy C. Hayes | 2023 |
| C. U. Davis | 1903 | Tom Story, JR. | 1945 | Claude Andrew Soots | 2023 |
| W. W. Barber | 1905 | Johnson J. Sanders | 1947 | ||
| C. W. Carlton | 1905 | Joe H. Pearson | 1947 |
Town Clerks |
Year | Town Clerks | Year | Town Clerks | Year |
| Joseph T. Welborn | 1889 | C. U. Davis | 1903 | L. L. Lunn | 1937 |
| R. A. Deal | 1889 | R. A. Deal | 1905 | J. R. Henderson | 1937 |
| John B. Deal | 1892 | Buel S. Call | 1909 | J. F. Jordan | 1941 |
| W. C. Winkler | 1893 | Henry Reynolds | 1915 | J. R. Henderson | 1947 |
| Claude Y. Miller | 1893 | L. B. Dula | 1919 | J. C. Harwell | 1955 |
| Charlie H. Somers | 1895 | W. F. Miller | 1922 | Ima W. Holbrook | 1956 |
| Charles L. Shore | 1898 | L. B. Dula | 1923 | I. Dean Rhoades | 1971 |
| H. A. Cranor | 1899 | Linville Bumgarner | 1929 | Harold L. Rockett | 1989 |
| John L. Webster | 1899 | Oliver F. Blevins | 1929 | Josephine F. Cass | 1992 |
| C.L. Shore | 1900 | J. R. Hendren | 1935 | James K. Byrd | 2010 |
| Frank B. Hendren | 1901 | F. J. McDuffie | 1936 | Donna Rhodes | 2024 |
home > town government > town council > meet your town council
Mayor Dale L. Isom Dale was elected to his first four-year term as Mayor of the Town Council in November 2023 and was sworn in on December 4, 2023. He is a graduate of NC State University in Civil Engineering and was Partner of Isom Ham Design Group, PA, and a past President of Spectrum Hospitality Management, LLC.
Contact Information: Wilkesboro Town Hall, 203 West Main Street, PO Box 1056, Wilkesboro, NC 28697 Tel: 336-838-3951 ext. 1060 Fax: 336-838-7616 email

Mayor Pro Tem Ronnie Walsh
Bio - coming soon.

Town Councilman Doug Setzer
Bio - coming soon.

Town Councilman Jimmy Hayes
Jimmy was re-elected to his fifth four-year term on the Town Council in November 2023. Jimmy is self-employed. Jimmy enjoys working on classic cars when he is not spending time with his wife Brenda, their 3 children and 7 grandchildren.
Contact Information: Wilkesboro Town Hall, 203 West Main Street, PO Box 1056, Wilkesboro, NC 28697 Tel: 336-838-3951 Fax: 336-838-7616
Town
Councilman Claude Andrew"Andy" Soots
Andy Soots was elected to his third four-year term in November 2023. He was first elected to the Wilkesboro Town Council in November 2013 to a four-year term. He is a retired Wilkesboro Fireman with 28 years of service and is self-employed.
Contact Information: Wilkesboro Town Hall, 203 West Main Street, PO Box 1056, Wilkesboro, NC 28697 Tel: 336-984-7333 email
| TOWN COUNCIL APPOINTED POSITIONS |
Town Attorney John S. Willardson
John S. Willardson became the Town's Attorney in 2014 after the late William "Bill Gray." He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he completed a double major in Spanish and Political Science. Following undergraduate school, he served six years in the US Army Reserve. Following law school at UNC-CH, he served as a research assistant to a judge at the North Carolina Court of Appeals in Raleigh before moving to Wilkes County. John is peer review rated "A-V" by Martindale Hubbell and has been repeatedly honored as one of North Carolina's Super Lawyers. John serves on many professional boards, including the NC State Bar Council, the Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism, the NC Bar Association's Dispute Resolution Council and Committee for the Independence of the Judiciary. John has served on many local organizations' boards, including the Wilkes Family YMCA, the North Wilkesboro Kiwanis Club, Wilkes ADAP, Hospice, the Wilkes Art Gallery, Wilkes Babe Ruth League baseball, and Wilkes Flying Club. In 2010, he was chosen by the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina to receive its highest honor -- the Red Triangle Award--for his many years of leadership and volunteer service to the Wilkes Family YMCA. John and his wife, Ann, met while students at UNC, live in Wilkesboro, are members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and they have one son.
Contact Information: 206 East Main Street, Wilkesboro, NC 28697. Tel: 336-838-5129 email website

Town Manager Ken Noland
Ken has served as the Town Manager since 1999. Ken is a graduate of the Appalachian State University where he received a Bachelor of Science and continued his education, where he received his Master of Public Administration from the UNC-Chapel Hill. Ken serves at the appointment of the Town Council and acting as Administrative Head of the Town. Ken and Mary Jane have two daughters.
Contact Information: Wilkesboro Town Hall, 203 West Main Street, PO Box 1056, Wilkesboro, NC 28697 Tel: 336-838-3951 ext. 1050 Fax: 336-838-7616 email
TOWN CLERK- Donna Rhodes
The principal responsibility of this position is to work with the town council and other town boards. The town clerk position includes meeting agendas, meeting minutes, calendar coordination, meeting furniture setup and breakdown, data entry, correspondence, resolutions, proclamations, mailings, assigned board tasks, filing, certificates of insurance, employee appreciation, and town gatherings, among other duties. Donna is married to Tommy Rhodes and they have one son.
Contact Information: Wilkesboro Town Hall, 203 West Main Street, PO Box 1056, Wilkesboro, NC 28697 Tel: 336-838-3951 ext. 1042 Fax: 336-838-7616 email
home > town government > town council > code of ethics
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(Front L to R) Councilmember Russell F. Ferree, Mayor Dale Isom, Councilmember Nellie Archibald
(Back L to R) Town Clerk Donna Rhodes, Town Attorney John S. Willardson, Town Manager Kenneth Noland, Mayor Pro Tem Jimmy Hayes, and Councilmember Andrew "Andy" Soots.
home > town government > town council > schedule of meetings
December 1, 2025
January 12, 2026
February 2, 2026
March 2, 2026
April 13, 2026
(Date change due to April 6, 2026 being an observed holiday)
May 4, 2026
June 1, 2026
July 6, 2026
August 3, 2026
September 14, 2026
(Date change due to September 7th, 2026 being an observed holiday)
October 5, 2026
November 2, 2026
December 7, 2026
home > town government > town council > town council commissions
COMMISSION |
WHEN, WHERE |
MAYOR |
RONNIE |
DOUG |
JIMMY |
ANDY |
| ABC Board (Ex Officio) ** | 3rd Monday @ 1:00 pm | |
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| Blue Ridge Opportunities Commission ** | |
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| Cemetery Board** ABC Board (Ex Officio) ** 3rd Monday @ 1pm at store #1 | Quarterly 4th Tuesday @ 4:00 pm | |
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| Historical Preservation Commission (Ex-Officio) ** | 3rd Tuesday @ 5:15 pm | |
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| Landscape and Planning Review Board (Ex-Officio) ** | 3rd Tuesday @ 11:00 am (Jan, March, May, July) |
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| Member of the High County Council of Governments ** | 2nd Monday @ 5:15 pm (Mar, June, Sept, Dec) |
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| Member of the Board of Directors of Wilkes Heritage Museum, Inc.** | 3rd Wednesday @12:00 pm | |
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| Parks and Recreation ** | Quarterly or as called | |
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| Planning Board (Ex Officio) ** | Last Tuesday @ 5:15 pm | |
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| Regional Transportation Advisory Committee ** | |
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| Tourism Development Authority ** | 2nd Wednesday @ 11:00 am | |
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| Wilkes Chamber of Commerce ** | 3rd Wednesday @ 3:30 pm | |
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| Wilkes County Economic Development Corporation Member ** | 1st Friday @ 8:00 am | |
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| Zoning Board of Adjustment (Ex-Officio) ** | 3rd Monday @ 5:15pm | |
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** Attendance at monthly meeting is required
*** These meeting are co-chaired; the alternate attends in the event of an absence of the primary appointee |
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