SALISBURY — Other than the time he served in the Air Force, City Councilman Kenny Hardin has lived in Salisbury his whole life.

“And this just does not feel like the city I grew up in,” Hardin said. “I want to take Salisbury back to the city that I grew up in.”

Among Hardin’s chief concerns is the escalation of gun violence over the past few years.

“If we do not reduce this gun violence, it has such a residual impact on housing, livability, economic development, whether businesses want to relocate here,” Hardin said. “So a lot of people say, ‘Well, maybe that’s too broad.’ But if we can reduce this gun violence, it will then have a positive impact on so many other areas.”

Hardin is also concerned about the city-owned internet service, Fibrant. He said that should he be re-elected to the council, he would be “decisive” about whether to keep the utility.

“I’m not going to be scared to make a decision. It is draining our city. It’s draining resources, it’s draining the opportunity for us to be able to provide services to our citizens. So I’m done with the meetings about it; I’m done with the analysis. We need to make a decision and move on with Fibrant,” Hardin said.

Hardin, 52, also said that if he wins a second term, he will continue working to bring a Boys and Girls Club and a vocational training certifications program to Salisbury.

“I don’t think everybody is woven into the fabric of this city and this community,” Hardin said. “I want citizens to feel like their concerns are legitimate, valid and being taken seriously. We keep saying, ‘city business, city business, city business.’ Citizens’ concerns are city business.”

Hardin is director of and a consultant for Dedication to Community Organization.

He also is a co-founder of Tsunami Development Literacy Program.

Contact Jessica Coates at 704-797-4222.