Two candidates are running in the Republican primary for the at-large seat on the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners.
Mike Barresi is a first-time candidate. At a recent forum focused on housing, Barresi talked about his own experience with homelessness and cast himself as a political outsider.
“I'm not a scholar. I'm just one of you people,” he said. “The people with scholarships, what have they done for the community right now — do you know? I’m one of you. I know what you're going through, and I can help.”
Barresi has had numerous encounters with law enforcement over the past 16 years. Most of the charges were dropped. A Florida judge granted a restraining order for domestic violence in 2010. In 2011, he was found guilty of misdemeanor trespassing. When WFDD reached out for comment, Barresi did not address the charges.
His opponent, Terri Mrazek, is a businesswoman and landlord. She’s campaigning for a commission seat for the fourth time, having run unsuccessfully in 2020, 2022 and 2024. She says she supports low taxes and a strong economy.
When asked about the housing crisis at the same forum, Mrazek recalled providing housing to those who had been in “a bad situation.”
“I brought in a lady who was being badly treated and her two daughters into my home so she didn't have to live in a shelter, and her daughters continued their education,” she said. “And they were of the brown race, right? I opened my doors for them.”
The organization that hosted the forum, Housing Justice Now, released a statement about her comment on social media.
They said, “This language reflects outdated beliefs about race — language that is especially unacceptable in a county where residents of color face discrimination when accessing resources, including housing.”
The top vote-getter will face the winner of the Democratic primary between incumbent Dan Besse and realtor Que Shavers.
The primary election is Tuesday, March 3.
