Wake Forest Board selects five finalists for vacant commissioner seat

1. Abigail Noelle Black (also referred to as Abby Black)

Abigail Noelle Black, listed on the town applicant roster and referred to in coverage as Abby Black, is one of the five finalists the Wake Forest Board of Commissioners chose for interview. The finalists were selected from a pool of 14 applicants who applied during the town’s Dec. 19–Jan. 14 window; commissioners each ranked their top five and submitted rankings to the Town Clerk by Jan. 23. “Each commissioner ranked their top five candidates, with the results submitted to the town clerk and tallied to determine the overall finalists,” according to the town’s selection description. Abigail Noelle Black will appear at the Feb. 3 work session to explain why she wishes to serve; residents who want to hear directly from candidates can attend the Board Chambers session at 6 p.m.

2. Joan Falvey

Joan Falvey is named among the five finalists announced by the town; her inclusion follows the same ranking-and-tally selection mechanics used by the Board. The announcement restored focus on filling the unexpired term that opened when Ben Clapsaddle moved from commissioner to mayor, and the Board has framed Feb. 3 as the opportunity for finalists to outline their qualifications. “During the work session, each candidate will appear before the board to discuss their interest in serving and outline why they believe they are qualified for the position,” the town release and local reporting explain. For local residents, Falvey’s interview is a chance to evaluate how each finalist intends to represent Wake Forest interests and to consider how a new appointee will influence issues at upcoming meetings.

3. Daniel Hupp

Daniel Hupp appears on the official finalist list and will take part in the scheduled interviews as the Board moves to fill the unexpired seat through December 2027. The five finalists were chosen after commissioners used a scoring process and the Town Clerk tallied results to determine the overall top five, following the Jan. 23 submission deadline for rankings. If the Board appoints a finalist that night, the appointee would assume the seat immediately and restore the Board to full membership after the vacancy created by Clapsaddle’s election to mayor. Hupp’s interview will give commissioners and the public a direct sense of his priorities and readiness to serve for the remainder of the term.

4. Nicolas Sliwinski (listed in applicant list as Nick Sliwinski)

Nicolas Sliwinski, shown in the town’s applicant list as Nick Sliwinski, is the fourth finalist; the municipality’s materials reconcile both variants as the same person. He is one of five advanced from the 14 applicants and will appear at the Feb. 3 work session in Board Chambers at Wake Forest Town Hall (301 S. Brooks St., second floor). The Board has indicated it may either hold a second round of interviews or make an appointment that evening; Wakeweekly noted the possibility of a same-night appointment as the town moves closer to filling the vacant seat. For neighbors and stakeholders, Sliwinski’s interview will signal how he would approach citizen services, development, and budget priorities during the remainder of the term.

5. Jasmine Zavala

Jasmine Zavala rounds out the five finalists selected for interviews and will present to the Board during the Feb. 3 work session beginning at 6 p.m. All five finalists were announced in a Jan. 27 update from the town after the Town Clerk tallied commissioners’ ranked submissions; the appointed person would serve immediately upon appointment and remain on the Board through December 2027. After the interviews, commissioners will decide whether to schedule a second round of interviews or appoint a candidate that night, a procedural flexibility the town and local coverage highlighted. Related context, separate county example: coverage of the Wake County School Board appointment process (a different body) emphasized time and capacity expectations for board members; as Wake County School Board Chair Chris Heagarty put it, “It takes a lot of work managing 160,000 students over 10,000 staff employees. And so one of the things that is very important to us as we look at new board members is making sure people not only have the love of our students and for public education, but they also have the time,” and WTVD summarized qualities sought as people who “most importantly care about our students, care about our staff, care about our district. ... understand collaboration, can work well with others, who can articulate their viewpoints.” Those observations are offered only as comparative context; the Wake Forest interviews will follow the town’s process and timetable.