Early voting for the 2026 election is now underway and one of the candidates seeking another term on the Cleveland Town Council is Ty Harris.
Harris said Cleveland was not just a place on a map. “It’s a community that I care about and a place I have a personal connection to,” he said. “I believe in the people who call Cleveland home and I believe in the potential that our small town has when we work together.”
Harris added, “Growing up and being involved in a rural community has taught me the importance of looking out for your neighbors, helping when someone needs it and understanding that the decisions made locally can have a real impact on everyday families.”
During his time on the Cleveland Town Council, Harris said there are several accomplishments that he is especially proud of. One of which was keeping the town moving forward on very limited funding.
“There are several accomplishments that I’m especially proud of – not simply because they were things we got done, but because of what they meant for the people of Cleveland,” Harris said.
“One thing I’m particularly proud of is the ability of our town government to keep Cleveland moving forward despite having extremely limited financial resources,” he added. “When you serve a small rural town, you don’t have unlimited budgets or resources. Every dollar matters, every decision matters and sometimes you have to find ways to accomplish important things with very minimal resources.”
Lack of financial resources, economic and business opportunities, as well as what he called a lack of support and partnership from county leaders are among the challenges facing Cleveland, Harris said.
“Like many small rural towns, Cleveland operates on very limited resources,” he said. “A strong local economy is important to the future of Cleveland. We need stronger support from our county leaders. Cleveland should not feel like it’s standing alone. Our town is part of the larger county and I believe we should have a stronger working relationship with county leadership.”
Harris said if voters select him to return to the council for another term, he will “give this position everything I have.”
Harris went on to say, “My goal will be to continue moving Cleveland forward, to strengthen our community, encourage growth, create opportunities and make sure our town has a future that our children and grandchildren can be proud of.”
He added, “But while we move forward, I will never forget what makes Cleveland special. Progress should not mean losing the character, history and close-knit spirit that makes us a town in the first place. I will do everything in my power to keep Cleveland a town. I want us to grow responsibly, prosper responsibly and improve without losing the identity that brought us together in the first place.”
As for economic progress, Harris stated, “I believe Cleveland can encourage local businesses and economic development without sacrificing the character that makes our community special. To me, economic development doesn’t mean trying to turn Cleveland into a big city. It means creating an environment where small businesses, local entrepreneurs, farmers, trades-people and existing businesses have a reason to invest and stay here.”
He said a key to economic success is making things easier for business owners.
“I would work toward making it easier for local businesses to operate by looking for ways the town can reduce unnecessary obstacles, promote available business properties, pursue grants and outside funding, and work with the county and other organizations to bring resources into our community.”
Another key, Harris said, is taking advantage of natural resources.
“Tourism is key to Cleveland as we have the Clinch River running right through town,” he said.
