Our Mission
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Marcia Almond is dedicated to establishing a transparent government that prioritizes equality and ethical leadership.
Her goal is to foster responsible growth that benefits all residents in Jackson County.
Meet Marcia Almond
A Lifetime of Service, A Commitment to Jackson County
Marcia is more than a candidate - she’s a native North Carolinian, a proud ECU Nursing graduate, and a 38-year resident of Jackson County. She and her husband raised two children here, both graduates of Smoky Mountain High School. This isn’t just her home; it’s her legacy.
For over 40 years as an operating room nurse, Marcia made life-or-death decisions under immense pressure. She advocated fiercely for her patients, collaborated with diverse teams, and never backed down from a hard call. That same grit, composure, and patient-first mindset is what she brings to county leadership.
But Marcia doesn’t just talk about experience in service to our county - she’s proven it:
- As Council Member and Mayor of The Village of Forest Hills,
- As a 6-year member of the Southwestern Commission Council of Government
- As a Member of the Executive Committee of the Southwestern Commission Council of Government
- As a Volunteer at the Good Samaritan Clinic of Jackson County
- As a Volunteer at the Jackson County Circles of Hope
- As a Volunteer with the WCU School of Nursing administering vaccines during the recent pandemic
She has built a statewide network of relationships that will give Jackson County a powerful voice in regional decisions. As Chair of our Board of Commissioners, those connections will be essential for securing the resources that our county deserves.
So why is she running?
“I’m fed up,” Marcia says. She’s tired of leadership that lacks transparency, preparation, and genuine care for working families. She believes Jackson County can thrive - but only if our families can actually afford to live here. That means tackling economic growth including housing, childcare, infrastructure, and living wages with honesty and urgency.
Marcia understands that solutions don't come from speeches - they come from showing up, listening, and doing the hard work. She’s ready to do that work, but she can’t do it alone.
She needs your support, your voice, and your ideas.
Together, we can build a Jackson County that doesn’t just survive - but progresses, prospers, and becomes the place we’re all proud to call home.
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Marcia gathered input from people across Jackson County and compiled what she calls the
SIX PILLARS for SUCCESS
A Brighter Future for Jackson County
⦁ Living Wage Jobs
⦁ Affordable Housing
⦁ Affordable Child Care
⦁ Gas and Grocery Prices
⦁ Environmental Protection
⦁ Schools and Libraries
1. Living Wage Jobs
A full-time job in Jackson County should provide enough income to build a future here. Working with our Economic Development staff, we can bring in companies that pay a living wage as we improve housing and child care resources. We can also reward businesses who currently pay living wages and insure that all county employees earn a living wage.
2. Affordable Housing
According to the Director of the Jackson County Planning Department and NC HOME, our county is short by approximately 2,500 homes. We can fill the housing void by putting vacant and distressed properties back to use and developing a Housing Commission to address future needs for affordable rent and housing
3. Affordable Child Care
Jackson County cannot thrive if young families can't afford to raise their children here. Creating a collaborative with community leaders offers opportunities to design and implement countywide childcare solutions
4. Gas and Grocery Prices
We are all suffering from inflation. Our county can do better with affordable public transportation services for shopping and traveling to work. Grocery vouchers can be offered to those whose food budgets cannot make it to the end of the month.
5. Environmental Protection
Hurricane Helene taught us all a lesson. We need to prepare for extreme weather. We should recruit experts to serve on boards and advise on how to prepare and respond to extreme heat, floods and forest fires. We can do our part with county budgets providing emergency funds and installing solar panels on county buildings to reduce energy costs and reduce our carbon footprint. We need a moratorium on data centers as surrounding counties have done.
6. Schools and Libraries
Our teachers cannot afford to teach here. Our librarians are intimidated by our current county leadership. We can do better with improved teacher pay and allowances for school supplies. We can support our libraries with professional board members and adequate funding for community needs.
In summary, what you have told us is that we can do better. We must do better than we are doing today, and with your help, we will make tomorrow a brighter day for everyone living here!
