Mayor Ben Clapsaddle delivers his inaugural State of the Town address, centered on the theme “We Move Forward Together.” The phrase is a translation of the motto Katchi Kapshida, which he adopted from his time as a strategic planner with the Third Republic of Korea Army.
On Monday night, the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre was packed, and despite the rain earlier in the day, the mood was undeniably bright.
Hosted by the Wake Forest Rotary Club and emceed by CBS 17’s Angela Taylor, the 2026 State of the Town address wasn’t just a laundry list of budget items. It was a call for unity. In his first address since taking office, Mayor Ben Clapsaddle leaned heavily on his military background and personal history to outline a vision for Wake Forest that relies on collaboration rather than isolation.
CBS 17 Anchor Angela Taylor takes the stage as the emcee for the 2026 State of the Town Address & Dinner, welcoming the crowd under the evening’s theme, “We Move Forward Together.”
Here are the highlights and the news you need to know from the evening.
📝 The TL;DR: Key Takeaways
If you only have a minute, here is what matters most for residents:
New Policy: Mayor Clapsaddle is calling to re-establish the Senior Advisory Board and Youth Advisory Board to give these growing demographics a formal vote on town issues.
Big Event: A Food Insecurity Summit is planned for August 2026 to coordinate local efforts and ensure “no one in Wake Forest goes to bed hungry.”
Mark Your Calendars: The first “Friday Night on White” of the season is April 10, 2026.
Honors: Longtime resident Bob McCamy received the Vivian A. Jones Peace Award for decades of quiet service.
“Katchi Kapshida”
Mayor Clapsaddle, the son of a Korean mother and an American soldier, introduced a phrase that became the evening’s anchor: Katchi Kapshida.
“They taught me a simple but powerful phrase: Katchi Kapshida. That we are stronger when we move forward together.” — Mayor Ben Clapsaddle
He used this to introduce his management philosophy for the town: a “Team of Teams.” He argued that progress in Wake Forest doesn’t happen in a vacuum; it happens when the town staff, nonprofits, faith communities, and neighbors align their efforts.
He praised the town staff for their concrete successes over the last year, noting that the Inspections Department completed over 20,000 inspections with a 99.2% next-day service rate. He also gave a nod to the public works and safety crews who kept the roads clear and lights on during the snow and ice events in January.
Giving Residents a “Seat at the Table”
The most significant policy news of the night focused on inclusivity. Noting that seniors and youth are the fastest-growing populations in Wake Forest, the Mayor insisted they need more than just services; they need a voice.
He is formally asking the Board of Commissioners to bring back the Senior Advisory Board and the Youth Advisory Board. The goal is to ensure these groups help guide decisions on transportation, health, and the future of the town.
Furthermore, addressing the “Team of Teams” concept, he announced the Food Insecurity Summit coming this August. Led by Community Outreach Manager Drew Brown, this initiative aims to stop the duplication of efforts among charities and create a synchronized approach to feeding neighbors in need.
Stay updated on local government news
A Guardian at the Gate: The Peace Award
Before the Mayor took the stage, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house during the presentation of the Vivian A. Jones Peace Award.
Mark Scarborough, President of the Wake Forest Rotary Club, presented the award to Bob McCamy, a man who has served the community for nearly six decades. Scarborough described McCamy using a powerful metaphor:
“In ancient times, cities depended upon people who stood guard at the gate… People who did not seek praise or reward, but they served out of honor, integrity, and duty… That is what Bob McCamy has meant for Wake Forest.”
Rotary President Mark Scarbrough speaking at a podium; a large screen behind him displays a portrait of Bob McCamy, identifying him as the “Mr. Rotary” 2026 Peace Prize Recipient.
McCamy, who has served as Rotary President twice and championed scholarship and polio eradication programs, could not attend. His daughter, Charlotte, accepted the award, sharing that when she asked her father for words of wisdom to share, he simply said, “No, just say thank you.”
Community Roll Call
The evening was also a time to celebrate the citizens who make Wake Forest tick. The following awards were announced for 2025:
🏆 Employee of the Year: Allison Luvisi (HR Director), who also received the first-ever “Mayor’s Coin for Excellence.”
🏆 Citizen of the Year: Ann Welton
🏆 Organization of the Year: Wake Forest Memorial Flag Raising Committee
🏆 Lifetime Achievement Award: Karen DeBolt
🏆 Good Neighbors of the Year: Bailey FormyDuval and Markie Hayes
🏆 Guest Services Volunteer of the Year: Fran Wagner
The State of the Art
The night also highlighted the cultural heartbeat of the town with the premiere of a new video, “Wake Forest State of the Art.” It showcased everything from the murals downtown to the programming at the Renaissance Centre, reinforcing the sentiment that art is what “makes the world a better place.”
What’s Next?
The Mayor closed with a look toward the nation’s 250th anniversary (coming July 3rd), promising the best celebration yet.
If you missed the event, you can catch the rebroadcast on Wake Forest TV 10 throughout March at 8 a.m., noon, and 6 p.m., or stream it on the town website.
2026 State of the Town Address
Delivered by Mayor Ben ClapsaddleFebruary 16, 2026
Thank you. Thank you, everyone. I’ll tell you, it’s a little different when you have to stand on this side of the microphone than the podium. So you have to bear with me. Yes, I’m a bit nervous. Actually, I’m always nervous when I get up and talk. And Nancy will be up here giving me the… the long signal… so. Oh, while I’m doing this—and I should have gave… I’d be remiss if I didn’t recognize our Commissioner Haseeb is with us.
[Applause]
Good to see you, Haseeb. I got the privilege of introducing you. Okay. So. And… Good evening, everyone. And thank you. Thank you for joining us tonight and celebrating Wake Forest with us.
You know, as I was preparing for tonight, I kept thinking, “How do we achieve our town’s vision?” How do we ensure, I’m just taking this straight from our town’s vision, is that Wake Forest: vibrant, diverse, and welcoming community fosters its distinct character, a thriving economy, and a high quality of life?
And after a lot of thought back and forth and talking with our Town Manager Kip and other friends of Ben that are all scattered out over here—thanks for coming, I appreciate it. And they’re supposed to check to see if any biscuits fly, they’re supposed to give me a… But, you know, it became clear to me. The way we achieve our vision is if we work together. A team of teams.
Now, many of you know that I’m a son of a proud Korean mother and an American soldier. My mother left her family and her homeland to come to America so her children could have the kind of opportunities that only our country can offer. And being the son of a soldier, well, that shaped my values, my sense of duty, and my commitment to treat everyone with dignity and respect.
You know, I once served as a strategic planner for the Third Republic of Korea Army. And they taught me a simple but powerful phrase: Katchi Kapshida. That we are stronger when we move forward together. And you see, progress doesn’t happen by accident. And in Wake Forest, it doesn’t happen alone. It happens when neighbors, civic groups, faith communities, veterans groups, community partners, and our town staff work toward a shared purpose. A team of teams. And tonight, I want to center our talk around those words.
But first, I do have to say a few thank yous. And I will tell you I’m very impressed and thank you so much to the Wake Forest Cougar Battalion Color Guard. If you don’t know, today they had a day off, and of course, they were with us tonight. They opened our program and they remind us of the leadership and service embodied in our youth.
Thank you to Reverend Troyer for your words and leading us in prayers, and thank you for everything that you and your church does for our town. Thank you to Cannon Catering. Wonderful meal. And thank you for serving and being with us tonight. Of course, the Renaissance Centre. And Tony, make sure now—my aunts in Pennsylvania, New York, and Arizona are watching this, so always get my good side—kind of point at me if I’m going the wrong way. I appreciate you, brother. But thank you to the Renaissance Centre for your hospitality and everything that you do to support the arts in Wake Forest.
Of course, our mistress of ceremony, Angela. Now, I know it’s like herding cats, but you’ve done a great job so far and you’ve kept us on track. And I know it’s going to be hard to keep me on track, but we’ll work on it. And to the entire Channel 17 crew and staff, this has been an amazing partnership. Thank you, and I look forward to this year coming out.
And of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank the Wake Forest Rotary Club for sponsoring tonight. Your service and leadership truly make a difference every day throughout Wake Forest. And help me, come on, we got to give them a hand for everything they do.
[Applause]
You know, some of the clearest examples of moving forward together is the work of our faith communities and nonprofit partners. I want to mention just a few examples of the great work being done by so many of you.
Last year, Wake Forest Presbyterian Church—their church’s Backpack Buddies program provided weekend meals to more than 60 students in three of our Wake Forest schools. And their Giving Garden, under Larry Roper and so many other volunteers, distributed over 5,000 pounds of fresh produce to families in need.
Our Wake Forest Baptist Church’s Community Connections Garden provided thousands of pounds of fresh produce while also building relationships with neighbors and strengthening our community.
I know I see them… the Tri-Area Ministry Food Pantry. I can’t say enough for everything that you do for our town. And distributing thousands of pounds of food to families, ensuring that they have access to nutritious food. Thank you so very much.
And of course, the Wake Forest Rotary Club’s Medical Debt Relief Initiative. It’s helped eliminate medical debt for local families. And as important—and probably more important, I think—is you help restore the dignity and the offering of hope when it’s needed most.
And for nearly 40 years—40 years!—and June 11th we’re going to celebrate their 40th anniversary—the Wake Forest Boys and Girls Club has helped young people discover their potential, build confidence, and grow into caring members of our community. More to follow on that but, gosh, you know, the Boys and Girls Club, what a great organization.
[Applause]
Now you see, these stories aren’t rare. And they’re just a few of the quiet, steady work… I couldn’t say it all to address everybody here tonight, but I’ll tell you, it’s such a blessing to see neighbors caring for neighbors. These acts reflect the heart and spirit of who we are and how we love our neighbors as ourselves. We all know when neighbors show up for one another, something powerful—something very powerful—happens for everyone.
Now over the past year, Wake Forest continued to come together through events and experiences that celebrate who we are and bringing friends and neighbors together. We are blessed with a strong and engaged community life. Events like Good Neighbor Day, Friday Night on White, the Wake Forest Pride Festival, the Diwali Festival, Cars and Carnivores—did I say that right? Carnivores?—and the Holiday Tree Lighting reflect the welcoming spirit of our town. And behind every one of these events is a team. A team working together to connect neighbors, celebrate cultures, support local business, and build community pride.
And if you hadn’t heard, Reuben has assured me that our 3rd of July celebration of our 250th birth of our great nation is going to be the best one yet. That was a promise that Reuben gave me himself, so… No pressure, Reuben. No pressure at all.
Now, you see, none of these… none of what we celebrate tonight happens without one part of our team, I think is very important: is our town staff and our volunteers. Across every department, our team of teams serves Wake Forest with professionalism, care, and a strong sense of responsibility. They lead regional efforts in food security. They earn state and national recognition in budgeting, planning, and power. And they ensure every visitor to Town Hall feels welcome.
You know, last year our Inspections Department conducted over 20,000 inspections and were completed with a 99.2% next-day service rate. Now, I’m not going to do public math here, but that’s a lot. I just… come on, you gotta admit that’s a lot of inspections. And great job.
You know, Wake Forest’s finest, our Police Department. They serve beyond the badge through Shop with a Cop, the Turkey Drive, Special Olympics fundraising, and countless—countless!—everyday acts of compassion that often go unseen but make a real difference in people’s lives.
Our Fire Department provides CPR and First Aid training across our community. And this past year they hosted their 49th annual Fish Fry to raise funds for local charities in our community and our partners. They support the Masonic Orphanage in Oxford, and their Honor Guard participates in our Veterans Flag Raising ceremonies.
And of course, the amazing work by our entire staff during the snow and ice events in January. Look, they kept the lights on, they cleared our roads, and they kept us safe. Here, here’s to our staff. What a great job they did! Thank you so much. It’s my honor to work with you guys every day.
You know, like any growing town, we do face challenges: growth, infrastructure, and the never-ending question is whether or not we get a Trader Joe’s. Where’s… where’s Adam? That was for Adam. That was forever.
Now meeting these challenges, they require planning, they require flexibility, and they require teamwork. So if you want to understand that teamwork and you want to learn it firsthand, I encourage you to take part in our Citizens Academy or Planning 101. It’s taught by the people who do the work, not some old guy with a tie and 200 PowerPoint slides. You’re going to learn from the experts. So please, please sign up.
And I need to give… I’m going to change here just a little bit because I need to give you another example of how our town staff makes Wake Forest a place we’re proud of to call home. You see, on the first Monday from April through October, our town staff, alongside our veterans organizations and community partners, conduct a simple but very powerful flag-raising ceremony to honor a deceased Wake Forest veteran and their family. Now, we’re only one of two communities in North Carolina that does this every month. And as a veteran, and on behalf of all our veterans, thank you, Wake Forest. Thank you so much for doing that.
Now, when I think of all we do to recognize our veterans, there is one name that comes to mind. And his name is Rich Heroux. Our VFW Post 8466 candidate for both Regional and State Veteran of the Year. Rich helped establish many of the things that we do in Wake Forest. He helped establish the… our flag raising ceremonies, the annual Purple Heart Dinner, and serves as Master of Ceremonies at our Memorial and Veterans Day events. Rich’s dedication to our brothers and sisters will ensure their sacrifices will never be forgotten. Thank you, brother.
And if you’re a veteran, could you please stand? I know we have several veterans here. Come on Willie, come on Don. Please stand up. Thank you so much. Let’s recognize… come on, let’s give them a big hand. Thank you for your service.
Now the strength of our town, it’s not just found in its buildings and its budgets. It’s found in our people. People who show up every day. People who care. And people who serve quietly, consistently, and with integrity.
Each year we recognize an outstanding member of our town staff. This year’s recipient is described by her coworkers as “someone with an unwavering commitment to excellence and integrity. Someone who listens. Someone who understands. Someone who makes others feel valued and supported.” And tonight, it is my honor to recognize our 2025 Employee of the Year, Allison Movizie.
[Applause – Presentation of Award]
Mayor Ben Clapsaddle: Allison serves as our Human Resources Director and has been with our town for six years. Now, as she comes up here… I’ll come down just a second… but Allison also… I just want to let you know that tonight, I have the honor of presenting Allison with the first Mayor’s Coin for Excellence. This coin represents service, leadership, and commitment to the people of Wake Forest. Allison, thank you for setting the standard. Come on up here.
Allison: I just love… I love the townspeople, they make me what I am. Thank you.
Mayor Ben Clapsaddle: See, this is what… this is what Wake Forest is all about. It’s our people. It’s our town staff. You know, and I’m proud, so proud to work with each and every one of you.
Now, public service doesn’t just happen inside our town hall. It happens in our neighborhoods, in churches, in our civic groups, in quiet acts of generosity that rarely make headlines. Now each year we do recognize individuals and organizations who reflect the very best of our town. They are neighbors who step forward, leaders who give their time, and volunteers who see a need and act.
So please join me as I list out and congratulate the 2025 winners. Our Citizen of the Year was Ann Welton.
[Applause]
Our Organization of the Year was the Wake Forest Memorial Flag Raising Committee. Our Peggy Allen Lifetime Achievement Award was Karen DeBolt. Our Good Neighbors of the Year: Bailey Formy-Duval and Marky Hayes. And our Guest Services Volunteer of the Year, Fran Wagner.
You see, these honorees, they do reflect the servant heart of Wake Forest. And they remind us that strong communities are built by people who choose to give back.
Now, Wake Forest is growing. It will grow. So we must shape the voices, and we must listen to the voices that help shape us. Our seniors and our youth are the fastest-growing groups in our town… the fastest-growing populations. And they deserve more than just services. They deserve a voice. They deserve a seat at the table. And that’s why I’m asking the Board of Commissioners to reestablish our Senior Advisory Board and our Youth Advisory Board. Because we must ensure their perspective helps guide decisions about transportation, recreation, communications, health, and about our future. We need to give them a voice, an official voice at our table.
Also tonight, I’m very proud to announce that underneath the leadership of our Community Outreach Manager, Drew Brown, Wake Forest will host a Food Insecurity Summit in August of this year. This summit is not just a meeting. It’s about bringing together local and regional partners, nonprofits, faith communities, civic organizations, and Wake County, state, and federal agencies to align our efforts and strengthen collaboration.
Our goals are… are simple. We just need to share our data, identify the gaps, coordinate resources, reduce duplication, and build a synchronized and sustainable approach to helping our neighbors.
You see, and many of you know, hunger knows no age. No background. No boundaries. And no one… no one in Wake Forest should go to bed hungry.
[Applause]
This is the work that we need to do together. It can only be accomplished together. And I look forward to seeing many of you in August.
So as I close, I know the future of Wake Forest isn’t something that’ll just happen. It’s something we will build together. And it will be shaped by the choices we make today. And together, we… we will ensure that Wake Forest will always be a vibrant, diverse, and welcoming community. Because everything we talked about tonight comes back to that simple idea: We’ll move forward together. And with your help, with all of your help, I know our best days are ahead of us. Thank you. Good night. Be safe. And Katchi Kapshida.
Tom Baker IV is the publisher of Wake Forest Matters, Wake Forest’s only independent local newsroom. A Wake Forest native, Navy veteran, and intelligence professional, Tom launched Wake Forest Matters to bring serious accountability journalism to his hometown. Tips and story ideas: publisher@wakeforestmatters.com
