Report: Several Matthews commission candidates receive donations from developer

MATTHEWS, N.C. — Candidates running for a seat on the Matthews Town Commission have accepted thousands of dollars in campaign finance money from an area developer, according to records.

Channel 9 went through the latest round of campaign finance reports and found that Mayor Paul Bailey, who is running for reelection, accepted $5,000 from Brookchase Properties owner Garry Smith. That's 10 times higher than the $500 contribution Smith gave Bailey in 2017.

Smith also contributed money to campaigns for John Urban and Barbara Dement.

In 2017, Smith gave Urban and Dement $500. In 2019, he gave Urban $2,000 and Dement $1,000, quadrupling and doubling his previous contributions, respectively.

Matthews voter and former Town Commissioner George Young said while it doesn't violate campaign finance rules to accept the money, he does wonder why they would do it since voters would likely question the intention behind such large donations.

"This level of money from a developer really stands out," Young explained. "There's also the perception of impropriety. It doesn't look right to get that amount of money from one developer. At $5,000, I have a hard time believing there isn't some type of influence there. What does this say to a developer who hasn't written a check? It makes an unleveled playing field for everybody."

In response to questions about accepting the contribution, Bailey said:

"After 18 years on the town board and two years as mayor, everyone knows how I vote on rezonings. It is what has made Matthews the town it is today. People donate to the candidates they agree with."

Channel 9 was also able to contact Urban, who said his donation is large because Smith is a longtime friend. He added that all his individual donors increased their contributions this election cycle "by nearly double" because of the contentious nature of the campaigning.

In 2018, Brookechase Properties proposed a contentious development project to turn the wooded entrance to a Matthews greenway on Trade Street into 13 homes and a new road.

The rezoning request for the project passed, with "yes" votes from Bailey, Urban, Dement, and Kress Query, who all received campaign contributions from Smith.

Chris Melton also received $500 but voted against the proposal.

Channel 9 also found commission candidate Allen Crosby accepted a $500 donation from Smith in 2019.

Full statement from Smith:

"I did it because of the intensity level of this election cycle. Things are really, truly going so well in Matthews, I think it's too crucial to take a chance on possibly diminishing all of the great things that have taken place."

"I don't think it will get me anything. I've had a Matthews office for more than 20 years, and I've become partial to it. I just think the great things need to continue. I think when you contribute to management that will hopefully continue down that path. The candidates I didn't donate to don't have that expertise and I don't know what they would have to offer to continue that. I've had two out of five rezonings, and I don't have any right now for consideration. It is certainly not for personal gain, it's for relationships and a form of giving back. I'm just trying to help."

Cox Media Group