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Jim Proctor’s Background
Community Boards, Associations and Services, past
and present: ·
Lake Lure Town Council
– 2021 to present ·
Chairman, Lake Lure Classical Academy
School Board. 2012 to 2015 ·
Vice Chairman, Lake Lure Classical
Academy School Board. 2010 to 2012 ·
Board Member, Lake Lure Community
Education Foundation. 2011 to 2015 ·
Appointed to the Chimney Rock Park
Advisory Committee.
2013 to disbanded due to Helene ·
Board Member, Friends of the Hickory
Nut Gorge. 2006 to present. Jim and
his wife Robin were part of the core group that organized the ‘Save
Chimney Rock Park’ campaign.
·
Mayor of Lake Lure, North Carolina.
1999 to 2009 ·
Presiding Officer, Lake Lure Marine
Commission. 2003 to 2009 ·
Board Member, Rutherford County
Historical Preservation Commission.
2009 to 2012 ·
Vice Chairman, Lake Lure Zoning and
Planning Board. 1997 to 1999 ·
Member, Lake Lure Strategic Planning
Steering Committee. 1998 to 1999 ·
Commissioner, Isothermal Planning and
Development Commission. 1999 to
2002 ·
Member and Cove Captain, Lake Lure
Lakefront Owners Association. 1998
to present ·
Board Member, Hickory Nut Gorge
Community Foundation. 2007 to 2011 ·
Charter Member, Hickory Nut Gorge
Chamber of Commerce. 1986 to 2018 ·
Ruby Pharr Volunteer of the Year Award,
Foothills Land Conservancy. 2007 ·
Board Member, Hickory Nut Gorge
Wilderness Conservancy. 1996 to 2009 ·
Board Member, Rutherford County Tourism
Development Authority. 2000 to 2004 ·
Webmaster, Town of Lake Lure's official
website. 1999 to 2005 ·
Board Member, Historic Biltmore Village
Development Plan Steering Committee.
1989 to 1990 ·
Volunteer fireman and Licensed
Emergency Medical Technician, Lake Lure VFD.
1976 to 1983 While on Town Council: Over the past five years, while Jim was on the town council, the Lake Lure Town Council has focused on community resilience, infrastructure recovery, and economic revitalization, with Hurricane Helene being the defining challenge and catalyst for major projects In the immediate aftermath, the Town initiated a
coordinated emergency response with Rutherford County Emergency
Management, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, and FEMA.
Thanks to this quick collaboration, we were able to restore critical
services and begin clean-up operations within days of the storm. The town completed debris removal from public
spaces and rights-of-way. The town repaired or replaced miles of damaged
roads and storm water infrastructure. Worked with engineers and state partners to
reinforce key sections of the shoreline and dam infrastructure. Contracted with the Foothills Regional Commission
to develop a new Comprehensive Plan to help plan and prepare for future
growth. Continued Sewer System Maintenance, including the
Pump Station and Wastewater Treatment Plan, enhancing service
reliability and environmental compliance. Hired additional fire and EMS staff to
improve emergency response capacity, particularly considering lessons
learned during Hurricane Helene. Continued to partner with local
stakeholders to restore Town of Lake Lure Parks and Trails following
Hurricane Helene.
By September 2025, the US Army Corps of Engineers
and contractors removed 1.198 million tons of sand, silt, and sediment
from Lake Lure, plus over 1,000 cubic yards of debris from the lake,
restoring the lake’s capacity and water quality. The Council worked with the NCDEQ to restore
wastewater and drinking water systems, and secure $685 million in
NCWorks water infrastructure resiliency funding and $61 million in RCRA
recovery funds. In May 2026, the Council approved Phase Two of the Lake Lure Reopening Process, including the Washburn Marina ramp opening, allowing motorized vessels and lifting temporary towing restrictions. The Council has supported reopening of tourism
and recreation assets and continues to address remaining recovery
projects to support local businesses and visitor economy Lake Lure,
North Carolina. Recognizing the threat of future disasters, the
Council is advancing plans for a new, more resilient dam for our
720-acre reservoir.
While Mayor of Lake Lure (1999 to 2009) the Town
Council accomplished the following The town completed its first Comprehensive Plan. The town refurbished the sewer plant. The town has successfully found and repaired many
structural problems with the main sewer lines. The Lake Lure Marine Commission was created by
the General Assembly. With state and federal grants and low
interest loans, the town’s water system was improved and services
extended to areas not previously served.
Created an interconnection agreement
with the Village of Chimney Rock. Expanded the Zoning Administration into its own
department and hired more staff to address our zoning issues. Completed several major dredging operations to
help keep our lake safe and usable. Created a new soil erosion ordinance that allows
the town to enforce much needed erosion controls. For the first time in
the town’s history, the town can locally enforce the controls necessary
to keep Lake Lure clean and healthy. The Lake Advisory Committee completed a Lake Use
Study that is an ongoing essential guide, allowing the town to create
useful lake ordinances. The town hired an attorney that specializes in
water law and ‘the Law of Lake Lure’ is published. A new sewer lift station was installed at the
dam. Both generators at the Lake Lure Dam were
operational.
Electronic controls were upgraded and
more made efficient.
A new fireboat was purchased. Lake Lure had very successful 75th anniversary
celebrations that not only included several social events but also the
landscaping of Morse Park. Historical photographs were displayed at the
town municipal center. The town has sold surplus property that not only
raised money for the town, but put more real property on the tax roll.
Restructured the regulation of commercial
watercraft on Lake Lure. The town council did an excellent job
managing the town’s budget to provide necessary services while keeping
the tax rate as low as possible. Every year Jim met with county officials
and lobbied to keep the state sales tax distribution the way it is now.
If the sales tax distribution was
changed the loss to the town would be hundreds of thousands of dollars
per year. Along with county officials Jim met personally
meet with both Governors Jim Hunt and Mike Easley, Congressmen Charles
Taylor, Patrick McHenry and Cass Ballenger, Elizabeth Dole’s regional
representative, All the North Carolina General Assembly members that
represent our area, Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, Lt. Governor
Beverly Purdue, Director of North Carolina Parks Louis Ledford, leaders
of local and state conservancy organizations actively supporting the
development of a state park in the Hickory Nut Gorge, and mayors of
nearby towns and villages.
Work Experience Real
Estate Broker, Jim Proctor
Real Estate, Lake Lure, NC. Licensed Real Estate Broker. 1984 to Present
Owner/Operator, Pine Gables Cabins.
Lake Lure, NC. Western North Carolina vacation destination. 1994 to
present President
and General Manager, Dancing Bear Toys, Ltd.,
Asheville NC. Original owner, developed idea and created a very
successful retail toy store. 1989 to 1993 Survey
Crew Leader. Professional
Survey Company, Rutherfordton, NC., and McMahan and Reese P.A.,
Weaverville, NC. 1987 to 1985 and 1987 to 1989 Youth
Counselor Technician, Camp
Woodson, Juvenile Evaluation Center, Swannanoa, NC. Counseled
adolescents at an adventure-based camping program designed to encourage
personal growth and social adjustment for adjudicated youth. 1985 to
1987 Education Warren Wilson College,
Swannanoa, NC. BA Intercultural Studies with a
focus on Education and Asia. Minor in Art. Studies included travel to
India and Nepal in 1977 and 1979. These trips included volunteer work in
Nepal (building a solar water heater for a community laundry), being a
participant observer at various schools, studying the Nepali language
and organizing a trek to the Annapurna Base Camp in the Himalayan
Mountains. 1975. |