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He announced his decision at the end of the Valdese Town Council meeting Monday night.

Watts said that at the end of his term this year, which will be the end of November, he will have nearly 45 years of service with the town.

Watts, 67, first started work with the town on May 11, 1981, as a fire engineer. He worked his way up to lieutenant, captain, training officer, assistant fire chief and finally chief on Jan. 1, 1999, according to a previous News Herald story.

He was first elected as mayor in 2021.

“At this time, my wife and I have things we want to do, places we want to go,� Watts said. “I want to spend more time in the trout streams, and I want to spend more time hiking and just doing what I want to do.

“It’s like my dad told me the other week; he said, ‘You’ve done your time. It’s time to do something for yourself.’�

As for the future of the town, Watts said the challenge is getting young people involved.

“More citizens need to take an active role in the governing of their town, instead of having the ‘I don’t care attitude,’ or ‘It’ll take care of itself,’� Watts said.

Pool

At the meeting, Scott Compton, chairman of the Valdese Parks and Recreation Commission, spoke about the council’s decision in March to buy a new bubble to cover the town’s pool rather than build a permanent structure.

“We were puzzled by the speed in which this decision occurred, given that we were led to believe that the town council wanted to first hear pricing information on the new police and fire building before making a decision on the pool structure,� Compton said. “This was the reason given by council to wait six months before a decision was made.�

The council approved a budget amendment to put $767,308 in the capital project ordinance for the pool bubble.

Compton cited concerns of buying a bubble, including operational costs to increase more than it would have with a permanent structure. Council member Roxanna Lowman said it will cost $55,000 to $57,000 per year, with the cost of it likely to rise over the years.

Compton also cited the majority of the council’s decision not to involve the parks and recreation commission, which is an advisory board to the council, when deciding on a pool cover.

He said the commission members, along with some residents, initiated and participated in a $300,000 capital fundraising campaign to help offset some of the costs of a permanent pool structure.

“Given the change in circumstances and the lack of desire indicated by the town council to work alongside of and in partnership with the volunteer members of the parks and recreation commission, we no longer wish to recommend the initiation of a capital fund campaign,� Compton said. “The commission will continue to support the recreation facilities in the town of Valdese. However, we wish to express our discontent with the process in which the town council arrived at their decision.�