A Wake-Up Call for All of Guilford County

By Nicky Smith
April 12, 2025

I may not live in Summerfield, but as a candidate for Greensboro City Council District 4—a district that borders this proud, family-oriented town—I cannot ignore what is unfolding just outside our city’s northern limits. A proposed bill in the North Carolina General Assembly, House Bill 801, is more than legislative housekeeping. It’s a veiled attempt to undermine local control, strip away a community’s autonomy, and ultimately call into question the very existence of Summerfield.

While the bill does not explicitly name the town, the message is clear: Summerfield is in the crosshairs. If passed, the bill would create a legislative review process that could result in towns losing their charters—essentially erasing them from the map—if they’re deemed to be providing “insufficient services.”

Let that sink in. A town of 11,000 people—built on decades of local pride and shaped by generations of residents who chose a quieter, more rural way of life—now faces the possibility of being labeled a “paper town” and dissolved by the state.

This isn’t just a policy debate. This is a direct threat to a community’s identity.

Why Families Choose Summerfield—and Why That Should Be Protected

People choose to live in Summerfield for the very reasons that make it different from Greensboro. It offers open space, peace, lower taxes, and a deep sense of community. For many families, it’s the kind of place where children can ride bikes down quiet streets, where local events still feel personal, and where neighbors truly know one another.

Summerfield’s limited-services model is not a flaw—it’s a feature. Residents have consistently voted for conservative, deliberate growth. They’ve opted for fiscal responsibility and local decision-making. That model has worked for decades and has attracted those who are looking to escape the overreach, bureaucracy, and growing dysfunction of larger city governments.

And now, that way of life is under attack.

If this can happen to Summerfield—a town whose residents have made intentional, community-based choices about how they grow and govern—who’s next?

State Overreach and the Erosion of Local Identity

What makes this situation even more alarming is that it doesn’t stem from local failure. It stems from a political disagreement—one rooted in development and power, not in public outcry or resident dissatisfaction.

Let’s be honest: this all began with the controversy surrounding the proposed development of 970+ acres by a single developer, which led to a rare and aggressive move by the state to de-annex land against the will of the town. Now, less than a year later, the same state leaders are questioning whether Summerfield should even exist.

This isn’t about service levels. It’s about punishing a town for standing up for itself. It’s about undermining local governance to benefit outside interests. And it’s about setting a chilling precedent that if your community doesn’t play along with the state’s agenda, your charter—and your identity—can be taken from you.

Dysfunction Is Real, But Not a Death Sentence

Yes, Summerfield has experienced its share of dysfunction—staff turnover, audits, internal investigations, and political discord. But what town hasn’t faced similar growing pains? Those challenges are for the community to work through, not for the General Assembly to weaponize.

There is a huge difference between a town struggling to move forward and a town that deserves to be dismantled. The former requires better leadership, the latter implies failure beyond redemption. Summerfield is far from the latter.

Stripping a community of its charter because it doesn’t operate like a city—because it chooses a simpler model—is not reform. It’s overreach.

Why This Matters to Greensboro

Greensboro should be paying close attention to this issue. If the state can target Summerfield for its governance model today, what’s to stop similar interference in how larger cities operate tomorrow? What’s to stop future legislation that tells us how to structure our services, spend our budgets, or govern our neighborhoods?

The issue at hand isn’t just about Summerfield. It’s about protecting the right of all communities—big and small—to decide their own destiny.

As someone who has spent over 45 years building businesses, solving real problems, and working with local leaders to improve our communities, I understand the value of independence and self-governance. If elected to Greensboro City Council, I will be a strong voice in support of our neighbors in Summerfield. I will advocate for their right to shape their own future, free from political interference and top-down mandates.

Summerfield’s Identity Is Worth Fighting For

To the people of Summerfield: I see what you’re going through. I hear your frustration. And I understand your desire to protect the place you call home.

The decisions your community has made are not invalid—they are intentional. You’ve chosen a model that works for you. And in a free society, that choice should be honored—not penalized.

Now is the time for unity among neighbors and leaders throughout Guilford County. If we allow this to happen to Summerfield, we are allowing the erosion of local identity, one town at a time.

I stand with Summerfield—because your fight is our fight, too.

Let’s build the future our city deserves. Greensboro is ready for a new era—let’s get to work.