Editor’s note: The Cherokee Scout has reached out to all candidates running for office in the 2025 municipal elections in November to contribute statements about their candidacy.
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Barry McClure
McClure: ‘To serve the residents and businesses’
By Barry McClure
Candidate for Murphy Town Council
I was first elected to the Murphy Town Council in 2013. I am seeking my fourth term in order to continue to serve the residents and businesses of the Town of Murphy. I do believe we have many positive things going on and would like to continue being a service to our community.
I moved to Murphy in 1987 and began my career in education at Murphy High School. I taught at both the high school and middle school levels. I served at all three Murphy Schools as assistant principal. I was the principal of Murphy Middle School until my retirement in 2016.
After retirement, I worked part time for eight more years in differing capacities, including principal of The Oaks Academy, dropout prevention coordinator for the Oaks Academy and assistant principal for the Cherokee County Schools of Innovation in Peachtree.
I have undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate degrees from Western Carolina University. Murphy is a great place to live and work, and I am so blessed to be a member of this community.
A couple of highlights of my service on the Murphy Town Council is being part of hiring a new town manger, a police chief and other key individuals; improvements to Murphy Fire Department, including 24-hour staffing; purchasing a new Murphy Police Department building; many water and sewer improvements; and obtaining Main Street status for the Town of Murphy.
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Gail Walker Stansell
Stansell: ‘My privilege to serve my hometown’
By Gail Walker Stansell
Candidate for Murphy Town Council
It has been my privilege to serve my hometown as a member of the Murphy Town Council for the last eight years, and I look forward to continuing to do so for the next four years.
I grew up in Murphy and proudly call myself a Bulldog. My mother was a teacher in Cherokee County Schools, and my father owned and operated Walker Body Shop. After attending Mars Hill University and Western Carolina University, I put my science education degrees to good use and became a teacher in Gwinnett County, Ga., at Berkmar High School.
I taught primarily anatomy and physiology, general biology and honors biology. As a teacher, I was the sponsor of student groups such as the student council and Beta Club. Being a marathon runner at the time, I also coached cross country.
After retiring, I moved back to my childhood home. Having lived and worked in a large urban area, I felt as though I could contribute new ideas to my community while still maintaining the unique charm of Murphy. I am proud of the work we have done as a town council during the last eight years.
Some of the highlights are becoming a MainStreet USA community, making improvements to both our police and fire departments by hiring key individuals in both departments, securing a beautiful new facility for our police department and making improvements to our downtown infrastructure and traffic flow as well as the work that is underway to make our town more
appealing.
Downtown is a work in progress, there is still much to do and I look forward to working with our mayor, town manager and council members during the next four years to continue to make Murphy a town we can all be proud to call home.
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Tim Radford
Radford: ‘Focusing on teamwork’
By Tim Radford
Candidate for Murphy mayor
I’m running for a second term as mayor of Murphy because there’s still important work to do. We’ve made strong progress, and I want to help see key projects through to completion, especially in infrastructure, broadband, housing and public safety.
For me, this role has never been about politics. It’s about serving the people of Murphy through collaboration, problem-solving and steady leadership.
In addition to serving Murphy, I represent our community on several local and regional boards that help shape policy, access funding, and build strong partnerships. These include the N.C. Commission on Volunteerism & Community Service, N.C. Mayors Association and Southwestern Commission Council of Governments, where I serve as chair. I’m also involved with the Association of Tennessee Valley Governments, Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce and Murphy Main Street.
I’m deeply engaged in Rotary service as well. I’m a past president of the Rotary Club of Murphy, serve as assistant governor for Rotary District 7670 and am a member of the Rotary Club for Alzheimer’s research. I also serve as a vice president of The CART Fund. These roles all reflect my belief in the power of service and community partnerships.
Growing up in Murphy, graduating from Murphy High School in 1991 and studying communication at UNC Chapel Hill taught me the value of local connection. I’ve continued to support that value through my ownership of WKRK radio for the last 30 years.
During my first term, our team – which includes the town council, town manager, department heads, staff and volunteers – secured state and federal funding to upgrade aging water and sewer lines, some of which were more than 110 years old. We moved our police department into a new, modern facility designed to better serve both our community and the dedicated officers who protect it.
We’ve improved broadband access, modernized emergency communications and developed a comprehensive Crisis Management Plan. We added a FEMA-funded fire tanker and supported the launch of Valley River Apartments, helping address a critical housing need.
Murphy earned N.C. Main Street Community designation, helping us revitalize downtown, welcome new businesses and create jobs. We launched youth leadership initiatives, honored volunteers through our appreciation events and created “Mayor’s Rising Stars” to help high school and college students engage in civic life.
When Hurricane Helene hit, we saw firsthand how important reliable communication is in a crisis. We
are pursuing funding for backup systems that will
help keep our community connected during all
emergencies.
Strong leadership means being open to all viewpoints, responding with care and finding common ground to move Murphy forward. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished as a team, and when you vote for me, you’re voting for a group of people working hard every day to make Murphy a great place to live, work, and visit.
We’ve laid a strong foundation and, with your support, I look forward to building on that momentum. I would be honored to serve another term and hope to earn your vote.