Salisbury City Council challengers say incumbents too comfortable

Candidates for City Council know what they want out of Salisbury city government.

They also have strong feelings about how the city falls short in those expectations.

Mayor Susan Kluttz, running for a third consecutive term, says she wants the city to have a reputation for leaders who are honest, intelligent and courageous, with a city staff that is professional, ethical and courteous.

“The level of services provided by the city should be what the citizens want and are willing to pay for,” she says.

But Salisbury fails in communicating to citizens what is happening in city government, she says.

“The majority of complaints I receive are the result of misunderstandings,” Kluttz says. “Many people are working hard to make Salisbury the very best. All of our citizens need to know it.”

A first-time candidate for council, Dr. John Blount, says city government has generally had a good reputation in Salisbury with conscientious councilmen having served in the past.

But Blount says citizens just aren’t seeing a lot of things being accomplished, especially in providing better services at less cost. Watching council operate over the past several months, Blount complains that too many things are decided before council and the public hear about them.

The meeting agendas seem too contrived and restrictive — a “me, too, thing,” Blount says. He suggests that council meetings set aside 15 to 20 minutes for citizens who have problems.

Doctors see patients without appointments, Blount says. Why can’t citizens talk to council members without being part of the formal agenda?

Salisbury voters face a melting pot of candidates in the Nov. 6 election for five City Council seats. Kluttz and three other incumbents — Bill Burgin, William “Pete” Kennedy and Paul Woodson — are seeking re-election.

The five challengers include Blount, Robert Boone, Mark Lewis, Bob Martin and Sean Reid. The election will insure at least one new council. member because four-term incumbent Scott Maddox did not seek re-election.

The nine candidates offer a wide assortment of backgrounds and talents. Some are heavy in planning and others in business. Many of the candidates show strong community involvement and management experience.

Political credentials also are impressive.

Lewis ran once for the Rowan County Board of Commissioners. Boone competed for council in 1999. Kennedy is trying for his fifth consecutive term on council. Kluttz has been the top council vote-getter in two consecutive elections, followed closely by Woodson.

Martin had a 12-year run as Rowan County sheriff from 1986 to ‘98.

The candidates’ chief concerns range from making government more efficient and responsive, to economic development, police protection, affordable housing and neighborhood improvement.

Boone says he wishes city government could show more flexibility in how it handles complaints.

“I think where they fall way short is explaining to citizens about city business,” Boone adds. “... I think they need some real PR with the everyday citizen.”

Burgin, seeking his third term, believes Salisbury has as reputation for creative and progressive problem-solving, “balanced with sensible economic management.” The city’s leadership has consistently found answers, he says.

“Where we fall short is, like most governing bodies, we adopt change slowly,” Burgin says. “This is not all negative, however, because caution in decision-making can ensure positive results.”

Kennedy said the council’s annual goal-setting process is all about trying to attain a certain reputation. Those goals include such things as improving neighborhoods, expanding the tax base, managing growth, providing quality park and recreational opportunities and upgrading the public infrastructure.

“Many of them can be improved,” Kennedy adds, “and that’s what we’re working on. ... We feel like we’re not as strong as we’d like to be.”

Martin says he hopes Salisbury government would have a reputation for aggressively seeking out new employers and businesses providing good jobs. The city falls short in this area and has not adequately expanded the tax base in the downtown and elsewhere, according to Martin.

A city also should be known for promoting good and safe neighborhoods and strong schools, while practicing good stewardship of the taxpayers’ money, Martin says.

Lewis would like Salisbury to have a reputation for having a proactive council that meets the needs of citizens and business.

“That reputation would include the protection of our neighborhoods, historic revitalization and economic opportunity for all of our citizens,” Lewis says. “Our reputation will be inclusive, not divisive. The diversity of our city is one of our greatest strengths.”

Reid, director of the Dunbar Family Resource Center, says the city should have a reputation for being more inclusive — inclusive especially for “the many citizens between 25 and 35 who have left due to the lack of opportunities.”

Future leaders should be coming from that age group that the city is losing, says Reid, 32.

Woodson, who has served the past four years as mayor pro tem, says city government’s reputation has been fairly good in recent years, but he hears most of the complaints from business owners who feel the council is not responding or listening to them.

Those complaints have surfaced, Woodson says, as the Interstate 85 project has closed businesses along East Innes Street or as the council has deliberated on a Visual Corridor Overlay District for Innes.

The council also drew fire from citizens and businesses about a proposed median on Statesville Boulevard. A pending bridge replacement over the railroad tracks on East Innes has “many business people concerned,” Woodson says.

“I think we’ve got to address the business community,” says Woodson, owner of Vogue Cleaners. “It drives our town.”

Beyond the issues box on this page, here’s more on each candidate:

John Blount

A Salisbury native who was raised in Kannapolis, Blount has lived and practiced medicine in Salisbury since 1973.

He has talked strongly for reigning in city government by reducing taxes and cutting expenses. He questions the continual expansion of the city’s water-sewer utility.

Blount promotes the idea of some property tax exemptions for elderly citizens. He suggests that the city’s Utility Department could save money by reading water meters and billing customers every two months instead of every month.

He questions whether Salisbury should spend so much time and effort collecting leaves. He says the city’s roll-out garbage collection is a disgrace and makes the community look “like a junk pile.”

Blount says he also is agitated by high-priced city management personnel who are sometimes difficult to locate.

“That kind of bugs you,” he says. “What are they doing?”

Robert Boone

Boone has complained consistently that council members aren’t always responsive to citizens.

“Sometimes they do that, sometimes they don’t,” Boone says. “I guess it’s how they feel that day.”

He also wishes he could hear more open debate on the council: “It seems that if one or two object and three think it’s OK, that’s the end of the story.”

Boone says the city would be run the same if citizens elected only the city manager and appointed council members — that’s how removed council is from most of the decisions.

The city’s retail business has been “slack for many years,” Boone says. “Most things I can buy here, but people are going out of town to shop.”

Bill Burgin

Burgin has taken lead roles in several council planning initiatives, including development of a Visual Corridor Overlay District, the Vision 2020 growth plan and a downtown historic district designation.

The recently developed Crime Control Plan also will be an important element in fighting crime and providing adequate police protection, Burgin says.

In examining city budgets, Burgin says he looks for a proper balance of tax rate and city services.

He credits city government with strengthening neighborhoods by raising minimum housing standards, creating local historic districts, renovating and building homes, providing zoning protection and creating favorable loan environments.

Burgin says an active and alive downtown signals “the vibrancy of a city.”

“The citizens of Salisbury are fortunate that over the last couple of decades the city government has invested a tremendous amount of energy and commitment to make Salisbury an exciting place to work, shop, live and visit,” Burgin says.

Pete Kennedy

Kennedy, a Realtor and former educator, emphasizes economic development for the city and points to past successes as evidence that the council has paid attention to this issue.

He recalled joining the council when the Towne Mall and Flowers Bakery properties were declining. Salisbury government found ways to purchase those properties, resell them and promote new investment that now adds to the city’s tax base, Kennedy says.

In Towne Mall’s case, the city also obtained the necessary sewer easement it needed before selling the property at a profit, Kennedy notes.

The additional office space being created from the Flowers Bakery Redevelopment area will help the downtown move forward, Kennedy says, but he believes the city must find new job opportunities and take advantage of training the city’s three colleges could provide.

Susan Kluttz

Kluttz has performed duties as mayor on a virtual full-time basis for the past four years.

She has increasingly represented Salisbury concerns at the state and national level through visits to the General Assembly, Washington and beyond or by joining various coalitions or study committees.

Kluttz has played a leading role in promoting better race relations in Salisbury. She has become a strong supporter of passenger rail service, saying it holds promise for the city.

In her leadership role, Kluttz has asked council committees to give certain issues more study time. She spearheaded efforts to form a Neighborhood Improvement Task Force and performed most of the planning behind this year’s visit from Salisbury’s sister city in England.

Mark Lewis

A seven-year member of the Salisbury Planning Board and recent chairman, Lewis stresses the need to follow through on principles laid out in documents such as the Vision 2020 growth plan, the Downtown Salisbury Master Plan and Crime Control Plan.

Lewis strongly supports smart-growth principles, the protection of open space, development of greenways, community policing and help for existing neighborhoods.

At the same time, he offers a banker’s and Chamber of Commerce member’s approach on how city policies might affect business.

His key focus: affordable housing. Lewis supports increased mortgage assistance for low-income families, city infrastructure improvements as a way to encourage private investment and formation of a task force to address affordable housing needs.

Bob Martin

As sheriff, Martin became used to campaigning across the county so, politically speaking, his council candidacy is much simpler. This is the first elected office he has sought other than sheriff.

Martin has continually stressed economic development and the need for the city to expand its tax base.

With the current economic picture — revenues falling and unemployment rising — the city must determine where it can eliminate waste, Martin says. The city cannot keep increasing taxes and charges for services, he adds.

His campaign handouts say he’s “working for the rebirth of downtown Salisbury,” and he calls on city government to be more business-friendly.

Sean Reid

Reid, the youngest candidate, has been an active member of the Salisbury Planning Board in recent years.

On that board, he often speaks for ways to protect neighborhoods and small businesses.

Reid is concerned about the type of growth Salisbury will see in the future. He says he doesn’t want to see Salisbury become a bedroom community where people demand services but do not work or spend their money here.

While many other candidates have voiced the need for a retail recruiter for Salisbury, Reid says he would put more emphasis on the types of retail Salisbury needs. It’s as important to know what people want and why they’re shopping out of town, Reid says.

He has suggested a council-appointed task force to work with the Salisbury-Rowan Economic Development Commission to investigate ways to improve the local economy.

Paul Woodson

Woodson almost describes his cleaning business on North Long Street as a satellite city hall over the past four years. It’s been an easy place for citizens to stop in and talk about city government, he says.

Woodson says his business and others already are making adjustments to the depressed economy, and he emphasizes that the city must do the same, before it’s too late.

“I do not want a tax increase on me or any other citizens,” Woodson says, and adjusting to a bad economy “is nothing different than I do for my two businesses.”

Woodson praises the job everyone in the city has done with historic preservation. On diversity issues, Woodson says he has seen a big improvement in the past two years especially.

He believes the city should look closely at hiring a retail recruiter.

Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263 or mwineka@salisburypost.com .