William Peoples, a strong voice in the community for several years, filed Monday as a candidate for Salisbury City Council.
“I feel like I can bring a new perspective to the council,” Peoples said. “… Everybody there has done a good job, but sometimes you need new blood and new ideas.”
One of his main concerns, Peoples said, was that the city had stopped looking after its neighborhoods and he would place an emphasis “on bringing neighborhoods up.”
Improvements in the downtown are important, Peoples said, but once you leave the downtown, appearance issues and other problems abound.
He used Brenner Avenue as an example. It shouldn’t have taken the years it did to get streetlights and sidewalks on Brenner Avenue when, in comparison, the annexed Westcliffe area received services sooner, he said.
“I think I can bring a different perspective and different attitude and outlook, because I’m right in the community,” Peoples said.
Peoples, 54, is retired from Reynolds Metals Co. He is a former president of the Salisbury-Rowan Branch of the NAACP.
This is the first time he has run for public office. He lives on North Fulton Street and has a son.
Peoples is a 1973 graduate of Salisbury High School and later earned a degree in welding from Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.
Peoples served six years as vice chairman on the Salisbury Zoning Board of Adjustment.
He has been with Project SAFE Salisbury since its inception and is a member of the Mayor’s Gang Task Force, the Community Child Protection team and One Church, One Child board.
Peoples said he also has worked with the Salisbury Police Department on some neighborhood issues.
He is a trustee and member of First Calvary Baptist Church. Peoples is one of 15 children in his family.
The filing period for the Nov. 3 municipal elections in Rowan County ends at noon Friday.
So far 11 candidates have filed for Salisbury City Council including Peoples, Charles Black, Maggie Blackwell, Blake Jarman, Ben Johnson, William “Pete” Kennedy, Susan Kluttz, Mark Lewis, Wes Thompson, Paul Woodson and Michael Young.
All five seats on City Council are up for election to two-year terms.