Gavel

City Council

Vision

Belmont will be a vibrant, multi-generational community that incorporates small-town charm and heritage with an entrepreneurial spirit.

Mission

City of Belmont provides visionary leadership and high-quality city services to create a community of choice for our residents, visitors, and employees.

Core Values

  1. Uphold the Professionalism and Ethics Expected of Elected Officials
  2. Practice Mutual Respect Towards Fellow Council Members and City Staff
  3. Lead with Honesty, Vision And Responsibility
  4. Maintain Balance and Open-mindedness in Executing Duties
  5. Demonstrate Fairness and Accountability to All Residents and Stakeholders of Belmont

Richard Turner

Title
Mayor

Phone
704-685-3139

Email
rturner@cityofbelmont.org

Richard Turner

Position
Mayor

Family
Belmont City Councilman Richard Turner is a 22-year resident of Belmont. Married for 23 years to his wife Marie, they have 3 children that all attended Belmont Public schools.

Past Positions
Prior to being elected to Belmont’s City Council he served Belmont and its citizens for 2 terms on Belmont’s Planning and Zoning Board and Belmont’s Park and Recreation Advisory Board.

Career
He has served Belmont Central Elementary in several roles including President and Vice-President of the schools PTO. While serving as Vice-President, he wrote a successful grant application that brought much needed playground equipment to the school. He has also served Page Primary School as the School Improvement Team (SIT) representative.

Accomplishments
As Chairman of the Park and Recreation Board, Richard identified the vacant city owned property on Brook Street as a site for a much-needed city park and was instrumental in developing the concept and bringing it to a reality.

Recognition
Recognition of his concern over growth and its impact on roads and traffic issues led to him being nominated to serve on the GCLMPO (Gaston, Cleveland, Lincoln Metropolitan Planning Organization) which addresses the transportation needs of these counties. As Belmont’s representative to the GCLMPO, Richard will ensure that our current and future needs as a community are always on the radar of this Metropolitan Planning organization.

Commitment
Richard is committed to the preservation of the Historic homes and mill’s that gives Belmont its unique charm and character while also recognizing the need to allow for complimentary growth. Finding the balance in these 2 elements will ensure that Belmont continues to be a place that people want to call home.

Mayor Pro Tem Jim Hefferan

Title
Mayor Pro Tem

Phone
336-575-3792

Email
jhefferan@cityofbelmont.org

Jim Hefferan

Position
Mayor Pro Tem

Family
Jim Hefferan has been a Belmont resident since 2012.  He was born and raised in Dearborn, Michigan, where his parents still reside.  He has a sister who lives in Nashville, Tennessee, and a number of aunts, uncles, and cousins living in Michigan, New York, and North Carolina.

Education
Jim received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with highest distinction from the University of Michigan.  Jim received a Juris Doctor magna cum laude from Wake Forest University.

Career
Jim is currently in his second stint as an attorney at the law firm of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP.  Jim also spent five years as a law professor in Charlotte, including two summers teaching at Vilnius University in Lithuania.

Volunteer Positions
Jim previously served on the Planning & Zoning Board and the Zoning Board of Adjustment.  He was also a member of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan Update Steering Committee.  Jim currently serves on the Gaston County Animal Care and Enforcement Advisory Board and is a reader at Queen of the Apostles Catholic Church.

Hobbies & Interests
Jim is a passionate fan of Wake Forest sports, especially football.  He has not missed a Wake Forest football game, home or away, since 2000.  Jim also loves to travel.  He has visited 40 states and over 25 European countries.  His favorite cities to visit are Madrid, Lisbon, and Budapest.

Title
Councilman

Phone
704-616-1873

Email
chill@cityofbelmont.org

Charlie Hill

Position
Councilman

Family
Charlie was born and raised in Belmont and takes a great amount of pride in his hometown. He has been happily married for 7 years to his wife, Katie, who is also a Belmont Native. They have 2 preschool aged children together, Hudson and Olivia. Charlie is the son of Michael and Nancy Hill, also lifelong residents of Belmont.

Education
After attending South Point High School, Charlie was given an athletic scholarship to play baseball at Carson Newman University. He then later received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Belmont Abbey College.

Career
After college, Charlie enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he has been to over 50 countries across 5 different continents and completed multiple deployments on his way to becoming a decorated combat veteran. He also works as a Risk and Compliance Analyst for a top 5 bank where he specializes in anti-money laundering procedures for federal regulators. Charlie’s leadership experience combined with his understanding of fiscal accountability and regulation can help improve Belmont’s financial health.

Hobbies and Commitment

Charlie most enjoys being a father and spending time with his family. He also loves to play golf, basketball, and developing his hobby of woodworking. He enjoys traveling abroad and helping his wife with her next household Pinterest Project. Since he was raised in our amazing community, Charlie promises to preserve our small-town charm while also planning for the proper growth that needs to occur. Belmont has always had a reputation of being a great place to live and raise a family, Charlie wants to keep it that way.

Title
Councilwoman

Phone
704-860-5500

Email
klewis@cityofbelmont.org

Kathryn Lewis

Position
Councilwoman

Family
Kathryn Lewis was born and raised in Belmont. Kathryn is married to her beloved husband John. They have 2 young children, Emerson and Daniel. She brings a deep-rooted commitment to the Belmont community.

Education
Kathryn is a graduate of South Point High School and Brevard College, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree.

Career
Kathryn is employed in her family’s business as the Human Resource Manager.

Volunteer Positions
Kathryn and her husband, John Lewis, president of the Belmont Raiders Athletic Association, have devoted themselves to fostering youth development through this non-profit organization. Their joint efforts have significantly contributed to the enrichment of the city’s youth for over six years. She is a member of CrossFix Ministries, actively taking part in their youth programs. Her commitment to community outreach extends further through her involvement with various initiatives, including serving on the PTO at Belmont Middle School.

Hobbies & Interests
Kathryn mostly enjoys being a mother and spending time with her family. She is a passionate fan of Red Raiders sport programs, especially football, wrestling, and cheerleading. She has a profound passion for Belmont’s youth and is honored to be appointed to the Belmont City Council.

Title
Councilman

Phone
704-898-4648

Email
jrumfelt@cityofbelmont.org

Jason Rumfelt

Position
Councilman

Family
Jason is a Belmont native who takes great pride in his hometown.  Married for 21 years to his wife, Trina, they have one daughter, Katie, who attended Belmont public schools and is currently a student at Auburn University.  Jason is the son of Mick and Elaine Rumfelt, also natives of Belmont.

Education
After graduating from South Point High School, Jason received his Bachelor’s degree in Economics, with a minor in Finance, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Career
Self-employed for 28 years, Jason works as a financial consultant to individuals and business owners and frequently collaborates with legal and tax advisors around the U.S. to address various tax and retirement planning needs for his clients.  Jason’s experience and understanding of fiscal responsibility affords Council a critical perspective with regard to stewardship of our taxpayers’ dollars.

Community Involvement and Volunteer Activities
Jason and his family are members and volunteers at South Point Baptist Church.  In addition, Jason is a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) and has assisted with various fundraising and outreach efforts for schools and nonprofits in the Belmont community.

Hobbies and Commitment
As an avid high school and college sports fan, Jason is a staunch supporter of our local sports teams as well as his beloved North Carolina Tar Heels and more recently, Auburn Tigers.  In his efforts to achieve a healthy work-life balance, Jason also enjoys spending time with family, working out, traveling and scuba diving.  Having grown up in our wonderful community, Jason promises to his fellow citizens to work to preserve the charm and amenities that have always made Belmont such a great place to live, work, play and raise a family.

Alex Szucs

Title
Councilman

Phone
704-860-8162

Email
aszucs@cityofbelmont.org

Alex Szucs

Position
Councilman

Family
Alex is a Gaston County native who shows pride for our community. He is happily married to his high school sweetheart Maddie Szucs. Alex and Maddie have one dog, Miller.

Education
Alex graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Finance and Banking with a concentration in corporate finance. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity where he served as President.

Career
Alex is a Senior Financial Analyst for Diversey Holdings, Ltd. Diversey is a provider of cleaning and hygiene products globally. He manages profit and loss statements for customers over three different sectors along with forecasting. Alex brings a financial background that will aid to the current financial outlooks for Belmont.

Volunteer Positions
Prior to being elected to Belmont's City Council, Alex served as Chairman of Belmont's Historic Preservation Advisory Board for a little over two years. He is a strong advocate for our local history and historic structures. He also previously served on the Aberfoyle Townhomes HOA Board as Treasurer where he was able to establish a healthy reserve for the community. He currently volunteers for various historical groups throughout Gaston County. Alex currently serves as the Finance Chair for Appalachian State University's Interfraternal Council Advisory Board. Alex and his wife attend the Pointe Church.

Hobbies & Commitment
Alex is an avid golfer and fisherman. He enjoys weekends on Lake Wylie with family and friends. He has always had a profound interest in our local history, specifically Belmont's history. Alex is committed to preserving our small town charm while cultivating a "one community" feel.

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