![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.raleighpublicrecord.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/erv_portman-240x300.jpg\" "\\"erv_portman\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nThere\u2019s a new commissioner in town.<\/p>\n
Erv Portman will be sworn into the District 4 seat of the Wake County Commission during its meeting Tuesday. Portman, formerly a Cary town councilor, succeeds Stan Norwalk, who resigned May 2.<\/p>\n
Portman is president of WestStar Precision Inc., a company that manufactures medical and aerospace components. \u00a0The Wisconsin native moved to Cary in 2002. Although he has served on various planning and zoning boards, he never considered running for office until he was appointed to the Cary Town Council in 2007.<\/p>\n
The Wake County Democratic Party appointed Portman to the seat to serve for the remained of Norwalk\u2019s term.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo go down to town hall and file for papers for town office is frankly probably not something I would have done if I had not been appointed,\u201d he said.<\/a><\/p>\n
But now that he\u2019s here, he\u2019s excited about the chance to work on the bigger picture. County Commissioners, like every elected official, are responsible for tax dollars and must spend money wisely, he said.<\/p>\n
During the past month, Portman watched commissioners struggle with tough decisions to balance the 2011-12 budget. Health and Human Services programs were cut, including funding for many nonprofits.<\/p>\n
Portman said while those services are important, it\u2019s time to reexamine them in conjunction with the county priorities. He suggests analyzing the services, what they offer and making sure there is no redundancy.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a newcomer looking at it, one of the things I noticed and saw is that there are a lot of different groups working in similar initiatives sand similar issues,\u201d he said. \u201cI would be interested in knowing whether that collage of services is the most effective way to address each of those issues. I don\u2019t know whether it is or isn\u2019t. That\u2019s one of the things I\u2019d like to look at.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matching how tax dollars are spent with the values of the community is always a balancing act, he said, but one thing he heard repeatedly was the need for more education funding.<\/p>\n
\u201cCitizens have high expectations of our ability to educate the next generation and to provide the support we need to make sure that happens,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Portman has a bachelor\u2019s degree in urban and regional studies and has served on Cary and Oshkosh, Wisc. planning boards. Growth is a topic he is eager to tackle.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe role on the commission is to ensure that as we look as issues dealing with growth that we do it in a way that is respectful to the environment,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Transit will play a large role in growth, he said, and the true work lies in convincing Wake residents, who are accustomed to an auto-centric lifestyle.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have seen compelling information that makes it clear to me that 20 and 30 years into the future we will not be successful building enough concrete to solve a problem,\u201d he said. \u201cConvincing [residents] to take the first steps and make that investment in the future will be a challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n
Portman believes cost comparisons will show a large upfront expense with mass transit, but long-term success. Such sea change ideas are not new to the Triangle, he said, remarking on the construction of Research Triangle Park and Lake Jordan decades ago.<\/p>\n
\u201c[Those were] incredibly controversial but paid huge dividends,\u201d he said. \u201cThe transit issue is at that level. It will be as controversial or more so. It will require us to be clear and articulate in how we present that story to the community to see whether the community will support it.\u201d<\/p>\n
As per protocol, Portman was nominated for the seat by the party of the outgoing commission member, in this case the Wake County Democratic Party. Party Chair Mack Paul said Portman\u2019s prior experience provided party members\u2019 with a comfort that he would do well as commissioner.<\/p>\n
In addition, Paul said, Portman\u2019s strong character contributed to the party members\u2019 selection.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s just a very thoughtful person who listens to all sides and makes the best decision he can and is motivated by the right reasons,\u201d he said. \u201cHis life isn\u2019t consumed by moving up the political ladder. That allows him to make the best decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Norwalk, who stepped down for health reasons, also approved of Portman, who has served as a member of the Mayors\u2019 Task Force on Student Assignment and the Wake County Public Schools Healthy Schools Task Force.<\/p>\n
\u201cStan was passionate about public education,\u201d Paul said. \u201cHe felt like Erv would be a strong advocate for public education, which made it easier for Stan to make the decision and feel good about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
On his election web site for the Cary Town Council, Portman pronounced the need for non-partisan discussions in local government. He said the same is true for the Commission.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s a good place for partisan politics, but that decision\u2019s been made. It is partisan. And I\u2019ll have to adapt myself,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He said generally, people have about a 90 percent agreement on major issues, and as long as the focus remains on what they share, there won\u2019t be any problems.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone is going to be concerned about quality of education, the environment, creating jobs,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cThe more we put on our partisan collars, the more we break down our effectiveness together of working across lines and most of our heavy work needs to be done across lines.\u201d<\/p>\n
And, if he\u2019s effective, he plans to run again when his appointed term ends next year.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow that I have been appointed I feel a responsibility to run for the office in the next election,\u201d he said. \u201cIf I determine a year from now that I am not having any influence or any effect \u2014 that would probably be the only reason I would not run.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI am serving in the community because I think it\u2019s important,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I serve at the pleasure of the community and I do that as long as the community wants me to.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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