MEET WILL CAGLE: Cherokee’s Newest Commissioner Pledged to Donate His Salary

A seventh-generation Cherokee County resident who spent years in the Marine Corps before building a small business took the oath of office yesterday as the county’s newest commissioner for Post 1.

🏛️ Why It Matters: Will Cagle brings a platform focused on cutting taxes, steering county contracts to local businesses, and rethinking how Cherokee County grows — all while promising to donate his entire first-term salary to local charities.

👤 Who He Is: Cagle is a father of four and a Cherokee High School graduate who enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps before being medically retired. He now runs a small business in the county where his family has lived for seven generations.

His roots run deep: his mother and grandmother taught in Cherokee County schools, a great uncle served as sheriff, and his grandfather and four of his great uncles fought in the Pacific during World War II. His oldest son works as a firefighter in Cherokee County. His middle son is finishing Officer Candidate School and is set to commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps.

💰 The Salary Pledge: Cagle says he will donate his entire commissioner’s salary during his first term to local charities. He has framed his campaign around fiscal responsibility, reducing waste, and finding what he calls “non-tax-based” funding for county services.

📋 What He’s Promising: Cagle’s platform includes several specific proposals. He wants county construction contracts to go to general contractors based in Cherokee County, with at least 50% of subcontractors being local. If the general contractor is from outside the county, he says 75% of subcontractors should be Cherokee residents.

He also supports reducing regulations that he says push large landowners into creating smaller lots, instead favoring lower-density conservation design communities. He has called for better tracking of county-owned property to cut waste and improve asset management.

🏠 Foster Care Focus: One of Cagle’s stated priorities is addressing a shortage of foster homes in Cherokee County. He has cited figures showing 360 children in need at one point, with only 62 licensed foster homes available. He proposes incentives like tax credits and services to encourage more residents to become foster parents.

📌 What’s Next: Cagle joins the Cherokee County Commission as the county continues to navigate rapid growth, infrastructure demands, and debates over zoning and development.