Voter411ENC.org
Greenville City Council Member at Large
Citywide Voters Choose One of Two Candidates
Will Bell
Your current job and title:
I work in multiple areas. I work full time in sales leadership for a large multinational wine and spirits supplier. I am also an entrepreneur that invests in real estate (rentals primarily) and other small businesses mostly focused on Food and Beverage.
Your highest level of education: College
If you're elected or re-elected, what will be your top priority? Why?
My top priority will be to cut taxes and restore common-sense decisionmaking to the Greenville City Council. The current city council raised the average tax bill by over 20% for the average household.
If you're elected or re-elected, how will you involve your constituents in the process of
making decisions?I regularly post on social media seeking input from constituents. I also receive feedback from constituents from phone calls, text message, and email. I am very accessible.
Why should voters choose you for the position you're running for?
Will Bell is a strong candidate for Greenville City Council because he stands for limited government, low taxes, and common-sense leadership. He’s committed to keeping local government efficient and accountable while promoting policies that support economic growth, public safety, and individual freedom. Will believes in empowering residents—not expanding bureaucracy—and will work to ensure Greenville remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family. Will is raising his family of three children in Greenville; he has skin in the game and deep roots in the community.
Which three things about you do you most want voters to know?
1. I'm a fiscal conservative who believes in responsible spending and making sure taxpayer dollars are used wisely—no waste, just results.
2. I'm a family man who wants Greenville to thrive for all families, with safe neighborhoods, strong schools, and opportunities for future generations.
3. I've worked hard my entire life, and I’ll bring that same dedication and work ethic to City Hall every single day.
Is there anything else about you that you wish to tell voters?
I'm running for Greenville City Council because I believe in common-sense solutions that put people before politics. Local government should be about results, not partisanship. My focus is on making Greenville the best place to live in North Carolina—by keeping taxes low, supporting a strong job and labor market, and investing in our world-class healthcare and education institutions. Together, we can move Greenville forward and make it the crown jewel of our state once again.
Portia C. Willis
Your current job and title:
Consultant, Young Scholars and Leaders Institute (Small Business Owner)
Your highest level of education:
Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice
If you're elected or re-elected, what will be your top priority? Why?
Once re-elected, my top priority will be advocating for public safety initiatives. What I have learned over these past two years is that we have some of the best men and women serving our city as law enforcement officers and first responders. We have made it our mission to support them in any way possible. We have added officer positions, funded GPD initiatives and I believe our police department is more of a reflection of the community it serves now more than ever. With that being said, there are areas of improvement needed. In addition to working to support GPD, I also want to help build community trust in areas of officer accountability, education regarding investigations and create a standardized way of communication when it comes to communicating with council regarding officer involved use of force, officer involved shootings and other critical incidents. Currently, there is no policy in place, and I would like to see one implemented.
If you're elected or re-elected, how will you involve your constituents in the process of making decisions?
Once re-elected, we will continue to welcome the voices of our citizens as they weigh in on issues which affect them. We have hosted town halls and community events centering around community issues and we will continue to do so. We have walked neighborhoods and talked to citizens about issues directly related to their daily lived experiences and we will continue to do so. We have welcomed input in council meetings and truly listened to suggestions for improvement and we will continue to do so. For so long, many of our residents have felt unheard and overlooked by those elected to represent them. We have been able to shift that tide to more of a balanced opportunity for citizens to be heard. I believe our citizens by and large are pleased with the direction we are going in and appreciate our leadership.
Why should voters choose you for the position you're running for?
Voters should choose me for Greenville City Council, At Large, because since being elected I have displayed leadership in a variety of different ways. For example, as an advocate for small businesses, I championed the Small Business Technical Assistance Program to help about a dozen small businesses receive a year's worth of small group and one-on-one coaching from a phenomenal business coaching firm here locally. Before my advocacy, the program wasn't in place. I also initiated the In Good Company Citizens Academy, a six-week program designed to teach everyday citizens the importance of local government and how local government serves them.
Not only have I advocated for innovative programs, but I have stood steadfast in the midst of very polarizing issues within our community to include the ordinance violation with Camping World. Myself along with others on Council, stood for holding a local business accountable until the state legislature took the issue out of our hands. Despite the blatant disregard by the business owner and in my opinion, the unnecessary involvement by the state, we stood for what we believed to be right. I have not seen this type of leadership in my opponent during his time on Council. I believe the best determinant of future leadership is past leadership. In 2023, the citizens of Greenville decided my opponent's six years of leadership was no longer acceptable. They made a decision for change. Their decision has resulted in real change, real results and we need to keep moving in the right direction.
Which three things about you do you most want voters to know?
I want voters to know we are doing the work, we are listening to people and we have a balanced approach to growth. We are governing in the way they have elected us to do so. We decreased the property tax rate by 10 cents in 2024 and have been able to meet many infrastructure needs, hired more law enforcement officers and emergency responders and we are providing better benefits and support to our employees. We are listening to the citizens who have felt their voices were stifled and keeping people in mind as we make decisions within our city. We aren’t anti-growth, however, we want it to make
sense. We want jobs and opportunities that pay livable wages and don't negatively affect the lives of those who elected us to govern and we welcome partnerships. We have a very collaborative spirit, and I believe we haven't
seen the best of what we can do when we all work together.Is there anything else about you that you wish to tell voters?
As someone born and raised in Greenville, I’m committed to preserving the spirit of community that makes our city so special—where opportunity meets belonging, and every voice matters. I will continue working to ensure Greenville remains a place where families thrive, businesses grow, and everyone finds themselves in good company.
