H.A. “Tony” Hilton, 60, said the current board has put the town in bad financial shape.
“My goal is to put Landis back in a financially stable position,” Hilton said. “Unless the town is financially stable, there isn’t much you can do.”
Hilton, a native of Landis, is a risk manager for Rowan County government and was appointed to the board in 2002 and served a year.
But what many people don’t know is that Hilton served in the U.S. Navy — did a tour of duty at the Pentagon — and retired as a commander.
“I did ship and shore duty,” Hilton said. “One of children was born in Guam — the other in Bethesda.”
An avid hunter and fisherman, Hilton takes trips to Portsmith Island to go fishing. He also hunts-- everything from doves to deer to duck, he said.
“It’s a chance to get away and be alone with your thoughts,” Hilton said. “Even when you are with a group, you are still out there doing your own thing.”
Hilton said he believes Landis needs to manage its growth better. The town needs to adopt a growth plan to handle the pressure from Kannapolis and Charlotte.
“Kannapolis will soon be an engine driving the South Rowan area,” Hilton said. “We need to anticipate future needs and be ready to deal with it when it comes.”-Ben McNeely
