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Horne serves to give back to Stantonsburg
By Sarah A. Wise
NL Staff Writer
1 May 2008 — As the town council of Stantonsburg looks to wage a campaign to revitalize the town, one of its newest members, Ken Horne, said he likes the direction the town is heading.
Ken won a seat on the council last November after a very close election. He was actually declared winner after he and candidate Tommy Darden broke a tie by pulling straws out of a hat.
He said he wanted to join the board of commissioners as a way to give back to the community he lives in, and felt that he would bring fresh ideas to help give new energy to the town.
Five months into his term, Ken said that the job hasn’t thrown too many challenges his way so far. While many people in town know he is a commissioner, he said he never feels like he is constantly being approached about concerns of citizens.
“I can’t really think of any difficulties thus far,” he said.
He added that his experience on various boards in the past had helped him to know what to expect as a councilman.
One of the biggest issues Ken and several other commissioners would like to see the town address is the lack of outlets for youth in the town.
“I’m interested in us having a place for people to go and have a good time without being out in the streets,” he said.
He feels that providing opportunities for the youth in town would improve the community as a whole.
And as the youngest member of the town board, Ken feels that he definitely brings a unique perspective. But he adds that age doesn’t completely separate him from the other board members.
“I don’t think that I am necessarily interested in different issues,” he said. “I just have a different perspective to give.”
Ken grew up in Stantonsburg, and graduated from Beddingfield High School. He moved away from the small town when he went away to college.
After graduating from East Carolina University in 1999 with a degree in Business Economics, Ken went to work for BB&T in Raleigh, and worked his way up to assistant vice president.
Over the next few years, he lived in Wilson, Raleigh, and in Clayton. But as he and his wife Tinika began to start a family of their own, Ken said they were called back to Stantonsburg.
“We both grew up family-oriented, so we decided to relocate back home,” he said. “My family was here, and her family is close by in Wilson.”
In the last few years, their family has grown. Ken and Tinika have twin sons Justin and Jordan, who will be four years old in June.
“They’re definitely a handful,” Ken said with a smile.
Ken recently made another switch to enable more time with his family. He transferred from the Raleigh BB&T to a location in Wilson, which cut out transit time each day.
Though he has more time to spend with the family, he adds, he is still very involved in a lot of different activities.
A lot of their family time is spent at Artis Grove Church, where Ken has served on the finance board.
“Whatever programs or meetings they have, there’s always something going on for us at church,” he said.
He also spends time with his wife and the boys at home, and they regularly see Ken’s parents William and Phyllis, who are also lifelong residents of Stantonsburg.
Lifelong citizens, he said, are one of the main attractions he has to his hometown.
“I like the citizens here,” he said. “There are a lot of familiar faces, people who have been here their whole lives.”
He adds that in the modern world, that attribute is not something that you find in every community.
“People here stick around, they’re not moving in and out every few years,” he said.
Ken plans for his family to join that group of lifers, and sees himself contributing to the community for a long time. He looks forward to watching the town continue to grow and develop.
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