Now two months into her city council term, Graham’s new mayor Chelsea Dickey has begun leading several projects and initiatives across the city. Dickey was unavailable for an interview but sent a statement to Elon News Network.
“Since my swearing in, my focus has been on listening to and best representing the people of Graham while working toward a more transparent and accessible city government,” Dickey wrote. “I want residents to be able to clearly see, understand, and engage with the work their city is doing.”
Dickey has focused on setting goals for the remainder of her term with support from the council.
In a Facebook post on Jan. 20, she announced the completion of a workshop with fellow council members where they outlined priorities for the upcoming budget cycle. During the workshop the council created their three-year goals including continuing to support parks and recreation initiatives, promoting economic growth in Graham, maintaining infrastructure, improving safety, and strengthening community engagement.
Additional actions discussed during the Jan. 20 workshop included potential funding for construction of a new fire station, funding and initiating revisions to the Unified Development Ordinance, a legally binding document combining zoning, subdivision regulations, and environmental rules into one code to guide land development. They also worked on addressing a backlog of utilities upgrades throughout Graham — including water, sewer and stormwater lines. Dickey said she has also been meeting with economic development partners to better understand and identify needs and opportunities within the community. Dickey also highlighted the installation of rectangular rapid flashing beacons downtown to improve pedestrian safety.
New council members Bobby Chin and Jim Young did not respond to Elon News Network’s requests for comment.
With only two city council meetings held so far under the new administration, the council has already begun working toward these goals. Items on the Jan. 13 meeting agenda included the Sesquicentennial Park project, a memorial bench in Graham Regional Park and approval of a contract extension for a water replacement project. As of Feb. 1, official minutes from the meetings held under Dickey’s administration have not yet been made public, she has continued to promote transparency through a YouTube initiative launched in 2025, which allows council meetings to be filmed and livestreamed for residents unable to attend in person.
Elon senior Noelle Vaught, who moved frequently as a child, said she considers herself a Graham local after living there for eight years. Vaught said she supports Dickey and voted for her in November because of Dickeys Democratic affiliation.
Vaught said in her opinion bringing new people into government to create change is beneficial for the community and added that she is optimistic about what the new council will accomplish.
“I’m always happy to see a little bit of a shake up,” said Vaught.
She said that her and her family have been pleased so far with how Dickey has managed the town. Vaught said she is particularly interested in economic development, noting that she and her family enjoy spending time in downtown areas. She said she would like to see more new businesses in Graham, and for the area to grow with the town. One of the new businesses ushered in under the new administration included Craft Axe Throwing, which recently opened downtown in December. Dickey attended the grand opening and promoted the business in a Facebook post, where she said “it’s the perfect place to catch up with friends.”
With the rough winter weather that swept through North Carolina in the past few days, Graham was put in an official state of emergency on Jan. 23 with threats of icy roads and dangerous conditions. Dickey took to Facebook where she urged Graham citizens to stay safe.
“We’re prepared, we’re working together, and together we’ll get through this. Please continue to look out for your neighbors and your community during this time,” Dickey said in the Facebook post.
Vaught said she believed that actions taken by the city showed they were well prepared for the strom.
“I’d say the city definitely did a good job of keeping the roads clear and safe,” Vaught said, following up with saying her family was able to go out and frequent stores and other locations regardless of the weather conditions.
The next city council meeting will be 6 p.m. Feb. 10 in city hall and will also be broadcast on the city’s YouTube channel. Dickey told ENN in a written statement that she plans on launching several mayoral advisory committees—including Downtown, Community Safety, Economic Inclusion, and Pastoral Advisory committees, this week, to ensure community voices directly inform decision-making. She said she hopes these will be early steps that “reflect my commitment to collaboration, safety, and building trust between City Hall and the community.”