Election 2009: Mallett candidate for East Spencer mayor

Tuesday, July 14, 2009 7:17 AM  |  Printer friendly version | E-mail to a friend |

By Steve Huffman

shuffman@salisburypost.com

EAST SPENCER — The mayor pro tem of East Spencer has filed for mayor.

Barbara A. Mallett, 62, of 206 Hall St., filed Monday. She served as the town's clerk/finance officer for 20 years before running for the Board of Alderpersons in 2005.

Mallett said she decided to run after Mayor Erma Jefferies told her she wasn't going to seek re-election.

"I never would have run if she had been planning to run again," Mallett said. "I think highly of the job (Jefferies) has done."

Mallett said she has some big plans for East Spencer, which prompted her to run for the board in the first place.

"I wanted to take my knowledge of city government to a higher level to better serve the citizens of East Spencer," she said. "It has been a positive experience to serve the council, staff and citizens."

Mallett said she wants to continue to improve on the work that East Spencer leaders have accomplished in recent years. She said she wants the town to continue improving upon the soon-to-be-completed $1.6 million water project that has included new waterlines and meters throughout much of East Spencer.

Mallett said she's also proud of the East Spencer Success and Gang Prevention Project and hopes to continue to expand it. She said she wants to use Community Development grant money to improve the looks of the entrances to the town, including the Broad Street and Interstate 85 areas.

"We are saying, 'Change the image, we can change the mindset,' " Mallett wrote in a news release.

Mallett is chairwoman of the East Spencer Housing Development Corp. She said she hopes the corporation can rehabilitate some of the town's older houses and give citizens information about mortgages to help them remain in their homes.

"Most of all, (I) would like to have citizens continue to be involved in the city government by serving on committees to improve the city and its services," Mallett wrote.

In addition to chairing the Housing Development Corp., Mallett is also a member of the Rowan County Nursing Home Advisory Board, vice chairwoman of the city of Salisbury's Transportation Advisory Board and member of the Rowan County Cooperative Extension Advisory Council.

She holds a bachelor's degree in business management from Shaw University and an associate degree in accounting from Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.

Mallett and her husband, Garry, have two children and two grandchildren.