TROY RESIDENT FOR 25 YEARS

I was born and raised in Montgomery County. My father was a teacher at West Montgomery High School where I graduated in 1977. I have lived in Troy for 25 years. I married a Troy girl, the love of my life, Lisa Gaddy, in 1983. Our son Graham, graduated from West and now lives in Raleigh. Lisa and I are members of First Presbyterian Church.

Who I Am | Jones for Mayor

Craig Jones is originally from Montgomery County. He graduated from West Montgomery High School in 1977. He is married to Lisa Gaddy, has one son, and is a member of First Presbyterian Church.

BUSINESS LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE

After attending NC State University I went to work for Standard Packaging in Mt. Gilead eventually becoming the Operations Manager with responsibility for 150 employees. Departing amicably from Standard after 13 years I achieved a better opportunity for myself and my family and became Head of New Truck sales at Crook Motors in Albemarle where I have remained for 27 years.

Craig currently works as head of new truck sales at Crook Motors in Albemarle. He previously worked at Standard Packaging in Mt. Gilead, where he became operations manager.

Town Council

The Town of Troy is governed by the Council/Manager form of Government. The Town Council consists of a Mayor and five Council Members. The Mayor is elected every two years and Council Members serve for four years. The current Town Council is: Craig Jones, Mayor ~ Bruce Hamilton, Mayor Protem ~ Kayren S. Brantley, Commissioner ~ Angela A. Elkins, Commissioner ~ Wallace Jones, Commissioner ~ Brian Helms, Commissioner

Government | Town of Troy

Mayor and Town Council - troync

2026 North Carolina General Election

In addition, the heart of our town is our downtown. We must keep it vibrant and attractive. I will be personally involved in pursuing businesses downtown. We will study ways to add landscaping and possibly add parking.

Business Growth | Jones for Mayor

We will double down on our North Carolina Main Street Community designation and pursue grants to help create jobs here in Troy.

It will be a high priority of mine to try and keep that facility in Troy, possibly on the bypass. I will also be personally involved in trying to bring a quality hotel to the bypass. Overnight visitors to our area are forced to stay in hotels in Albemarle or Asheboro depriving our town of any economic benefit.

BUSINESS INCUBATOR

I will work to develop a group of "angel" investors called Invest In Troy who would invest in or provide seed money for local people to start their own businesses.

Let’s get those people here to Troy to eat and shop. Geographically we are right smack in the middle of the Uwharries. I propose we invest money in signage and a marketing plan to promote our town as a place to visit while in the Uwharries. Hopefully we can merge this plan with the county's upcoming efforts to market our area.

Tourism | Jones for Mayor

A common complaint from the Forest Service is that we have no outifitters here for them to direct interested parties to. I will pursue an outfitter to locate here to service hunters, fishermen, campers, birdwatchers, etc.

Plans to personally recruit businesses to downtown Troy.

Plans to use Troy's North Carolina Main Street Community designation and pursue grants for job creation.

Plans to recruit a hotel to the bypass area.

Plans to develop an Invest In Troy group of private investors who fund local business startups.

Proposes investing in signage and marketing to promote Troy to Uwharrie visitors.

Plans to recruit a business to serve outdoor recreation visitors.

- Plans to personally recruit businesses to downtown Troy.
- Plans to use Troy's North Carolina Main Street Community designation and pursue grants for job creation.
- Plans to recruit a hotel to the bypass area.
- Plans to develop an Invest In Troy group of private investors who fund local business startups.
- Proposes investing in signage and marketing to promote Troy to Uwharrie visitors.
- Plans to recruit a business to serve outdoor recreation visitors.

Economy

CONTINUE TO SUPPORT TOWN STAGE

We should keep this wonderful asset for our town well maintained and concerts growing! I will encourage a diversity of music and events at TownStage. I will support and promote the TownStage Foundation Endowment recently established to help fund events.

Quality of Life | Jones for Mayor

We need to get infrastructure there as quickly as possible and aggressively market that property to new businesses. FirstHealth is studying a scenario where they would build a new more efficient hospital facility in another location. It will be a high priority of mine to try and keep that facility in Troy, possibly on the bypass.

I propose we invest money in signage and a marketing plan to promote our town as a place to visit while in the Uwharries. Hopefully we can merge this plan with the county's upcoming efforts to market our area.

In addition I pledge my support to our coming Discover Uwharrie Welcome Center located in the middle of our town.

DEVELOP THE LITTLE RIVER WATER TRAIL

Many of the million annual visitors to the Uwharries kayak the Uwharrie River. I propose we develop and promote our own Little River as a fun alternative to the Uwharrie River. The town currently owns land adjacent to the river in several areas where launches could be created. By working with land owners additional launches could be created down river. I would insist on nice quality launch facilities with parking and easy road access.

Troy’s Maintenance Department has an awesome task keeping our sidewalks and streets clean and neat. Why not supplement their effort with an organization called Volunteer Troy consisting of citizen volunteers who could help mow, weed eat, or pick up trash? I will appoint a competent and dedicated citizen to work with our Maintenance Department to develop Volunteer Troy.

Curb Appeal | Jones for Mayor

Our Denson's Creek Recreational Facility provides a first-class place for citizens to enjoy swimming, golf, cookouts, and parties. The golf course is a valuable source of fundraising for charities and non-profits in our town and county. Various charity golf events raised almost $200,000 last year. The facility has my full support and I propose to improve the parking and landscaping and explore adding additional recreation opportunities at Denson's Creek.

BUILD A PLAYGROUND AT CAPEL CENTENNIAL PARK

I will seek private donors to build a quality handicap inclusive playground at Capel Park so that all children regardless of mobility will have a wonderful place to have fun.

Supports maintaining TownStage, expanding its music and events, and promoting its endowment.

Prioritizes keeping a FirstHealth hospital facility in Troy.

Pledges support for the Discover Uwharrie Welcome Center.

Proposes developing and promoting a Little River water trail with launch facilities, parking, and road access.

Proposes creating Volunteer Troy to support municipal maintenance through citizen volunteers.

Supports improving parking and landscaping and exploring added recreation opportunities at Denson's Creek Recreational Facility.

Plans to seek private donors for an accessible playground at Capel Centennial Park.

- Supports maintaining TownStage, expanding its music and events, and promoting its endowment.
- Prioritizes keeping a FirstHealth hospital facility in Troy.
- Pledges support for the Discover Uwharrie Welcome Center.
- Proposes developing and promoting a Little River water trail with launch facilities, parking, and road access.
- Proposes creating Volunteer Troy to support municipal maintenance through citizen volunteers.
- Supports improving parking and landscaping and exploring added recreation opportunities at Denson's Creek Recreational Facility.
- Plans to seek private donors for an accessible playground at Capel Centennial Park.

Public Services

NO MORE EYESORES

I will encourage owners of vacant lots with unsightly debris or distressed buildings to take pride in the appearance of their property. If needed the town will take a lien on distressed properties and clean them ourself.

DEVELOP THE BYPASS

At the busiest entrance to Troy from the bypass, West Main St., the town has purchased 100 acres for development. We need to get infrastructure there as quickly as possible and aggressively market that property to new businesses.

Plans to encourage upkeep of distressed properties and use town liens for their cleanup when needed.

Plans to study adding downtown landscaping and parking.

Plans to quickly extend infrastructure to town-owned land on West Main Street and market it to businesses.

- Plans to encourage upkeep of distressed properties and use town liens for their cleanup when needed.
- Plans to study adding downtown landscaping and parking.
- Plans to quickly extend infrastructure to town-owned land on West Main Street and market it to businesses.

Housing & Urban Development

The officers of Troy Police Dept. and our volunteer firemen have my total respect. Their job is extremely dangerous and their record is exemplary. We need to keep turnover low in our police department by making sure our pay scale is comparable or better than other municipalities. We need to make sure our police and firemen have what is needed to do their job.

Public Safety | Jones for Mayor

In addition, we will study the possibility of police officers, who are often the first on the scene of a car accident or a drug overdose, having paramedic training and equipment.

SAFER STREET CROSSINGS

Our busiest intersection, Main and Main, with no automated street crossing, is dangerous for pedestrians trying to cross. Likewise many citizens walk back and forth across Albemarle Rd. near the Bojangles restaurant also near a busy intersection. I propose to automate those intersections and any others that may need it.

The state of North Carolina along with four other states recently reached a $48 billion settlement with drug companies who were responsible for the opioid scourge. Although as yet undisclosed as to how that money is to be distributed I will actively seek to bring some of that funding here to help our local rehabilitation facilities provide addiction treatment.

Supports competitive pay for police and providing police and firefighters with needed resources.

Plans to study paramedic training and equipment for police officers responding to crashes and overdoses.

Proposes automated pedestrian crossings at Main and Main, Albemarle Road, and other needed intersections.

Plans to seek opioid-settlement funding for local addiction-treatment facilities.

- Supports competitive pay for police and providing police and firefighters with needed resources.
- Plans to study paramedic training and equipment for police officers responding to crashes and overdoses.
- Proposes automated pedestrian crossings at Main and Main, Albemarle Road, and other needed intersections.
- Plans to seek opioid-settlement funding for local addiction-treatment facilities.

Public Safety

Because of the new bypass around Troy our current businesses are seeing sales decreases of up to 25%. We desperately need signage on that bypass. Both directional signage to point visitors to downtown, the courthouse, TownStage, etc. and signs promoting our businesses located in town away from the bypass are needed now.

The town is currently working on directional signage. I propose petitioning the NC Dept. of Transportation for inclusion in the Highway Logo Program that is typically on interstate highways to advertise gas stations, restaurants, lodging, and attractions. If this is not possible we should provide our own signs on private property to advertise our businesses.

KEEP SIGNAGE NEW AND ATTRACTIVE

I will regularly ride Troy. I will ask our town manager to replace any old street name signs, speed limit signs, or any other town maintained signage with attractive new signs.

Proposes bypass signage directing visitors to downtown and advertising businesses, including signage through the North Carolina Department of Transportation Highway Logo Program.

Plans to replace old town-maintained street, speed-limit, and other signage.

- Proposes bypass signage directing visitors to downtown and advertising businesses, including signage through the North Carolina Department of Transportation Highway Logo Program.
- Plans to replace old town-maintained street, speed-limit, and other signage.

Transportation & Infrastructure

As of September 2, 2026, Craig Jones’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Education

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Craig Jones

Plans to seek traditional traffic-light intersections at at least two bypass exits instead of the current U-turn design.

Alejandra Gracias

Walter Ley

The design of the bypass, which discourages traffic from slowing because there are no traditional traffic lights, will make it hard to attract retail businesses like convenience stores and restaurants. I will work to change from the current U turn design to traditional traffic light intersections for at least two exits.

- The mayor leads the executive branch of local government, presiding over city council meetings, making sure city departments run smoothly, and providing services to citizens. 
- The mayor attends and runs City Council meetings, serving as an important leader for how local laws get set. These laws affect local services, such as Police, City Planning, Parks & Recreation, and Transportation.  
- The Mayor in some circumstances may vote to break a tie in council meetings. They do not have veto power.