DURHAM - Mayor Bill Bell is seeking a sixth consecutive two-year term. Bell listed some of his proudest accomplishments as being able to maintain Durham's AAA bond rating, vast improvements in the downtown area, and improved quality of life in many of the inner city neighborhoods.
"I've been encouraged by many persons to be a candidate for this election," he said. "Much more needs to be accomplished, and I certainly want to be part of that."
A few of his top priorities if re-elected are jobs, continued redevelopment of inner city neighborhoods; getting Southside/Rolling Hills off and moving, and continued focus on reducing crime and providing core city services.
Bell is facing three challengers in the Oct. 11 primary: Ralph McKinney, a retired salesman; Joe Bowser, a county commissioner; and Sylvester Williams, pastor of the Assembly at Durham Christian Center. Early voting begins Sept. 22.
"One of the things I've seen is at one time downtown Durham was a place people were afraid to go because of crime problems. Now, people are there walking at midnight," Williams said. "Why can't we model that throughout the city of Durham?"
Bowser, whose term doesn't expire on the board until Dec. 2012, said he is concerned about job creation. "I think the county has done a commendable job in bringing jobs into the community," he said. "I don't see the city being a big partner in this, and I'd like to see the city more involved in this."
He added that he wants to see Durham become "a little friendlier to developers in the community," referring to the 751 South project, which was not received well. He said the project would have added thousands of jobs and improved the tax base.
McKinney said his top three priorities are taxes, eliminating racism and gender discrimination, and finding a solution to the availability of food, housing and medical care for each citizen.
"I'm 70, and I don't want a society where my children grow up and grandchildren grow up, and they observe women being harassed and sexually abused and blacks being belittled and degraded," he said.
Seven candidates are running for three at-large city council seats. Six will advance to the General Election.
Incumbents Eugene Brown and Diane Catotti are running again. Catotti said there was still work to be done as far as jobs and economic development. Farad Ali, the third at-large city council member, announced earlier this year that he would not seek re-election to spend more time with his family.
The five vying for the seat are Steve Schewel, a former school board member; Victoria Peterson, an East Durham activist and businesswoman; Solomon Burnette; Donald Hughes; and John Tarantino, a retired teacher.
"We have two very capable incumbents, and I'm sure they're going to run strong and the likelihood is the rest of us are probably competing for that third seat; but it's an at-large race, and you're really running for those three seats," Schewel said.
Schewel, publisher of the Independent Weekly, said some of his top priorities are jobs and economic development, expanding affordable housing and enhancing public safety.
Peterson, who started her own nonprofit vocational training program, Triangle Citizens Rebuilding Communities, and her own for-profit, Fiber to the World, said she still feels Durham has a serious crime problem.
"Durham had 19 murders this year and the year is not even over," she said. "So many of our young men are not being able to get employment, so they are going to other means and being frustrated and angry."
Hughes is a Durham Workforce Development board member and son of former school board member Jacqueline Wagstaff. He ran unsuccessfully for the city council in 2009 and the Durham school board in 2010, but thinks now is his time.
"I'm running because I truly believe that this is one of the most important elections in our city's history," he said. "We're facing unprecedented unemployment and an economic crisis we haven't seen in years, and we really need leadership that is not simply going to make decisions along ideological lines."
Burnette, son of former city council member Brenda Burnette, said he has been groomed for the position. He acknowledged his felony record in his filing, but said he is innocent of the felony robbery and the forgery charge.
"I will only admit to all I've done, and my life now is a testimony to my reformation," he said. "I had an eighth-grade education; then I went back home and went to Durham Tech, got an associate's degree, then transferred to N.C. Central University and studied Arabic at Duke University. Now, I'm solicited for my expertise both domestically and abroad. I think this is an example for many Durham youth who are caught up in the justice system for many different reasons that you can come from anywhere and go anywhere."
Tarantino said his top three priorities if elected would be job creation, revitalizing low-income housing areas and balancing the budget to sustain "smart growth."
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