Luncie McNeil, One of the Town’s Longest Serving Directors, Looks Back

Technology changed drastically during the nearly 32 years McNeil spent with the Town. There were no cell phones for staff, but McNeil managed to purchase a bag phone in the early 90s.

“We had pagers too! You would have to ‘drop a dime’ to make a call,” McNeil chuckled.

Desktop and laptop computers came much later. Record keeping, note taking, and information sharing were all done by hand unless you had access to a word processor or typewriter.

“A pencil and a pad were what I mostly used,” said McNeil.   

Rain, Snow, Sleet, or Hail
Major weather events in Holly Springs had a major impact on McNeil’s career throughout the years. Snow, ice, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, heatwaves, and lightning storms – McNeil and his growing team of Public Works employees dealt with them all.

After a winter storm in the 1990s that left the Town covered in a blanket of snow and ice for days, McNeil started to think ahead and not wonder “if” another storm would hit the Town in the future, but “when.” 

Luncie recounted how, during that first bad snowstorm of his career, cars were getting stuck, and Public Works staff were on the backs of trucks, shoveling sand to residents. The next year, he started requesting snowplows.

“One Council member said, ‘Luncie, do you think this is something you really need?’ I said, ‘Only if it snows."

As luck would have it, it snowed heavily the very next year, but this time, Public Works crews were ready, and streets in Holly Springs were cleared quickly.

Multiple hurricanes and one memorable tornado in 2011 solidified McNeil’s belief in the importance of being proactive. When Hurricane Fran blew through the Town in 1996, Public Works crews, along with a team of local contractors, cleaned up storm debris, including broken tree limbs, torn roof shingles, shattered glass, and downed power lines, in record time.

“We had accomplished our cleanup before Wake County called a meeting for all municipalities to determine what was needed.”

Almost 15 years after Hurricane Fran, when a devastating tornado ripped through the area, McNeil had a 320-CAT Excavator in the Public Works fleet ready to go.

“The tornado came right down 3rd Street, and the next day, we went to work. Within two weeks, we had everything gone,” said McNeil.

Cleanup after inclement weather requires staff to work grueling hours for residents.

“One thing I learned. If you want people to work for you, work as hard as they do. If they have to be out all night, don't be home in bed. Be out there with them, and as a result, we'd have our streets cleared every single time.”

Luncie’s Lasting Legacy
Retirement came during the pandemic in 2021. These days, McNeil spends his days running his own lawn care business and camping with his wife in a trailer they built themselves.  

In June 2026, the Town hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Operations Campus.  It was at this celebration that McNeil was surprised with the honor of a lifetime.

During the remarks, Holly Springs Town Manager Randy Harrington called McNeil to the podium and made a surprise announcement to all in attendance that the large multipurpose room on the first floor of the Administration Building is officially named in his honor.

“If you know Mr. McNeil, you know he has truly never met a stranger and was always the first to lend a helping hand,” said Harrington. “Naming this multipurpose space after him is the Town’s way of ensuring his welcoming spirit remains a permanent part of our building’s legacy.”

“I’ve been so proud ever since,” beamed McNeil.

“I just wanted to be remembered as someone who truly cared about his hometown and its success. I never wanted any other Town to exceed Holly Springs—and as far as I'm concerned, we’re still ahead.”

The Luncie McNeil, Jr. Multipurpose Room