The mayor presides at all meetings and serves as chief executive officer and official head of the town government. He may cast a vote only in the case of a tie. The mayor is elected in a nonpartisan election to serve two-year terms. Chris Carney currently serves as the Mayor of Mooresville.

CAREER

Chris Carney served our country as a Navy Seabee from 1991-1999. In 2005, he was elected to the Town Board as the Ward 4 Commissioner. He was reelected in 2009 and selected by his fellow Commissioners to be the Mayor Pro-Tem. During that time, Carney and his fellow Commissioners recruited Niagara Water to Mooresville.

Carney served in the N.C. Senate from 2011-2013, representing Iredell, Lincoln, and Gaston Counties. Then-Senator Carney served on several committees including Education, Health Care, Finance, and Vice Chairman of Transportation. He was among the leaders who helped secure funding to realign the intersection of Highway 115 and Mazeppa Road.

Carney also owns his own business, Strategic Capital Solutions.

FAMILY
Carney and his wife, Francie, have three children – Rachel, Maddie, and Will. Carney and his wife assist several charities in Mooresville and raise money for athletic fields in the area.

THE ROLE OF THE MAYOR
According to the National League of Cities, the following are specific responsibilities of the mayor:

• Chair governing body meetings, which includes paying attention to parliamentary procedures, and ensuring the accomplishment of desired outcomes
• Serve as the primary contact between the management staff and the governing body to keep the community agenda moving
• Encourage good communication with citizens, the media, other members of the governing body, and the chief administrator
• Represent local government in many settings in the community, with other local governments, and at state and national levels
• Facilitate action during meetings, between meetings, and throughout the community
• Help to create, maintain, and strengthen the effectiveness of the local leadership team
• Encourage and support the community during a crisis