CHINA GROVE — Jason Higgins says he’s running for office to make his town a better place.

Higgins, 44, has served on the town’s planning and parks boards. He works for Bank of America as a server administrator.

He is among the five Town Council candidates running for three seats on the board.

“I feel like politics at the national level seems so broken, and I just wanted to try to make a difference on the town level,” Higgins said.

As a member of the China Grove Planning Board, Higgins said he has witnessed the growth coming to southern Rowan County. Higgins said he wants to help make the town a better place as that growth creeps into China Grove.

“I want to help China Grove grow,” he said. “Some of the guys on the China Grove Town Council have been there since I was a kid, and I think it’s time to have some younger people on the council.”

Higgins said he wants to ensure that the Police Department has the resources it needs to combat the increasing number of opioid overdoses locally.

Higgins is a graduate of South Rowan High School. He and his wife, Christi, have one son and one daughter.

The 2017 China Grove Town Council race will result at least one new board member. Incumbent Mike Upright decided not to run for re-election.

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246.