By Karissa Minn
kminn@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — Democrat Ralph M. Walton has filed to run again for Rowan County Commissioner.
Walton, 69, of 925 Brown Acres Road in Salisbury, retired after more than 40 years with Rowan-Salisbury Schools.
He ran unsuccessfully for the Board of Commissioners in 2006 and 2008. On Feb. 29, he filed as one of 15 candidates competing for two open seats on the board this year.
In a prepared statement given to the Post on Thursday, Walton said he thinks the board wastes time with its “drama.”
“Having lived in Rowan County all my life I am sometimes almost embarrassed by the actions of our county government,” Walton said. “There is no room for compromise. There are too many personal agendas.”
As a school principal for 13 years, Walton said, he worked with his staff and “got the most of every dollar spent.” He said he believes he can apply his skills in budgeting, planning and working with others to county government.
“Every item needs to be looked at to see if we are getting all we can get for the money and fix it if not,” Walton said in his statement.
He said the county needs to look into why its schools’ test scores have fallen near the bottom in North Carolina.
Walton said the county also needs to ask why it can’t attract businesses when it offers a major interstate, easy access to rail lines and plenty of unemployed workers.
In addition, he said, the county should give its employees the best working conditions and benefits its can afford.
“I want Rowan County to be a place where everyone feels safe where ever they are and feel optimistic about their future,” Walton said. “We must have strong law enforcement and the hope for a good job to accomplish these things.”
Contact reporter Karissa Minn at 704-797-4222.
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Ralph M. Walton
Office sought: Rowan County Commissioner
Age: 69
Address: 925 Brown Acres Road, Salisbury
Phone number: 704-279-2691
Party: Democrat
Occupation: Retired from Rowan-Salisbury Schools
Education: Graduate of East Rowan High School, AB in Math Education and MA in Math Teaching from UNC Chapel Hill
Previous elected office: None
Community involvement: Member and former president, Granite Quarry Civitan Club.
Family: Wife, Colleen; two sons; one daughter; two grandchildren.