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All seven members of the Spencer Board of Aldermen have filed for re-election. In addition, a third challenger has filed to run against the incumbents.
The filing period ends Friday. The most recent filings include:
Paul Benfield
Paul “Scott” Benfield, 43, of 319 Sowers Ferry Road is seeking his third term on the board.
A plumber with college credit from Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, Benfield is a Sunday school teacher at Calvary Baptist Church and an assistant Boy Scout master for Troop 349. He coaches junior varsity baseball at North Rowan High School, as well as little and senior leagues.
“I’d like to see these projects completed that we’ve started like the fire department,” he said, referring to construction about to begin on a new fire station. “I want to see us stay aggressive on the street and sidewalk maintenance... The town right now is looking better than it has ever looked.”
Benfield said the town could help organize recreation for senior citizens at little or no cost.
“We had a pretty good thing going through Spencer Seniors and Oakdale Baptist Church,” he said. “It shouldn’t cost much, and it gets people out of the house.”
Tim Witkowski
Also seeking a third term is Tim S. Witkowski, 44, of 400 Steeplechase Trail.
A graduate of Thomas Nelson College and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, Witkowski is director of field services for Enerco Energy Services, an electrical consulting company in Salisbury.
He has been president of the Rowan Municipal Association and four years as a delegate to the Centralina Council of Government.
“I like volunteering my time for public service and I think it’s an honor to do that,” he said.
Witkowski said he would also like to continue work on the fire station and street projects. He wants the town to market industrial properties along Long Ferry Road around Interstate 85. He also wants stronger restrictions on developers to promote a higher quality of housing.
“We need to be proactive and start planning for growth and not wait ‘til its too late,” he said.
Witkowski has been chairman of the town street and sanitation committee for four years and has worked on the Rowan County Sustainable Community Development Commission.
Alicia Waddell Bean
Alicia Waddell Bean, 34, of 218 N. Yadkin Ave. is the third challenger to seek a seat on the board.
Bean, who grew up in Spencer, lived in Florida from 1987 to 1999 before returning to Spencer. She attended Catawba College and Northwestern Medical School in Chicago.
Bean is a board-certified pedorthist (a person who makes corrective shoes) and co-owner of Top Shop Auto Upholstery in Boca Raton, Fla. A member of the Spencer Jaycees, she is a former play-school director director of a program called “Acteens” at First Baptist Church.
“Spencer was founded by hardworking railroaders who took pride in their community,” she said. “You can steel see that pride carried out through the generations.”
Bean says she’s concerned with absentee landlords.
“Unfortunately, there are a small percentage of properties that are not representative of our community. I believe a majority of these homes are a result of absentee homeowners and landlords.”
Her other priorities include hosting community functions for retired residents and children and possibly a recreation center. She wants to consider changing sign regulations and improving public signs, and ensure that the police and fire departments have the safest and best equipment.
Contact Brad Hodges at 704-797-4266 or bhodges@salisburypost.com
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