By Robert Sullivan

SALISBURY — ”Thank you for sharing her with us.”

That was a phrase uttered many times on Tuesday night at the Salisbury City Council meeting, often through tears, as Salisbury officials, employees and community members spoke about the late Mayor Karen Alexander with her family at the meeting.

There was only one item on the agenda for the meeting, honoring Alexander and her service to the city, both as a city council member and mayor and as an architect and designer whose influence is felt in almost every area of the city.

Tuesday was the first council meeting since Alexander’s death in late December.

“I was trying to figure out, how do you do this, what can we take away from a life this special? One, I don’t think you can, there’s no way to live up to the bar she set, but we can try. But, it seemed to me that the thing that connected her professional career and her political career and her personhood was her innate ability to see beauty in places and see beauty in people, but she also knew that it took work to get that out and she was tireless about getting beauty out of places and beauty out of people,” said City Attorney Graham Corriher.

As part of the meeting, the city council provided an opportunity for anyone to speak about how Alexander impacted their life, and for hours community officials and members spoke in front of the empty mayor’s seat, draped in black. When Mayor Pro Tem Tamara Sheffield had acted in a mayoral capacity in the past due to Alexander’s absence, Sheffield sat in the middle seat typically filled by Alexander herself. However, that seat was left empty during Tuesday’s meeting.

The comment period came after a video created by City TV and Video Administrator Jason Parks, which showed Alexander at city events, award ceremonies and many other events in Salisbury over the years.

“We watched the video and she was everywhere, and not because it was cool to be there or to be there for the photo op, but because she cared for the people,” said Council Member Harry McLaughlin.

Several members of the community also spoke at the meeting, talking about how Alexander had positively impacted their organizations or even their own lives.

“I was asked to be the keynote speaker at the VA (hospital) and I just couldn’t decide. I didn’t want to face all those people and my fellow co-workers, I worked at the VA for 31 years, and I just said no. (Alexander) said ‘now, I want you to do it. I’ll stand beside you.’ And of course, she stood beside me as I made the speech at the VA medical center. Otherwise, I don’t think I would have made it,” said Mae Carroll, who also brought a framed photo of her and Alexander at the event that she said would stay in her bedroom “forever.”

Carroll also knew Alexander closely from their work with the American Legion and the Community Development Center, and said whenever they would have programs for children in the West End, that Alexander would always bake cookies and that the “kids just loved her to death.”

Many other city employees spoke during the event. Fire Chief Bob Parnell spoke about how Alexander’s ability to always remain graceful stood out to him and how her design work on Fire Station No. 4 meant the department would always have a lasting monument to Alexander. Police Chief Patrick “PJ”Smith spoke about how Alexander made him a better person, leader and public servant and spoke about how, even as she was battling illness, she always gave the city her best.

Community Planning Director Hannah Jacobson told a story about Alexander running late to an event that involved walking around the West End neighborhood. Because she had been held up by a lunch with VA officials, Alexander showed up in her trademark “pearls, tailored suit and high heels.” Determined to participate however, Alexander borrowed socks and tennis shoes and went on the walk in 90-degree weather before rushing off to City Hall to participate in a city council meeting afterwards.

City Manager Jim Greene Jr. said that although he had known Alexander for less time than the others in the room, having only been with Salisbury for two-and-a-half years, she had still made a profound impression on him through her approach to local government and leadership.

“Her goal and vision were clear: to make Salisbury a vibrant and caring city that was welcoming and inclusive. Many times I heard her describe our city and our vision as a ‘Salisbury for all.’ She worked tirelessly to share, lead and implement our vision and no issue was too big, too small or too complex for her involvement and leadership. From potholes and flag poles to downtown streetscapes and our historic depot, she showed everyone involved that every issue was a priority,” said Greene.

County issues proclamation honoring Alexander’s legacy

The death of Salisbury Mayor Karen Alexander has touched many people, and on Monday the members of the Rowan County Board of Commissioners expressed their sorrow at the loss and issued a proclamation honoring her life and legacy.

“We are certainly saddened by the loss of a good friend to this board and to each of us individually. We mourn Karen Alexander. Karen’s been a supporter of what’s going on in Rowan County and we’ve spent a lot of time on the phone together over the years bouncing stuff off of each other. She’s been an ally, and she’s been a good mayor and a good city council person, a good businesslady and overall, she was just a good person,” said Chairman Greg Edds.

Commissioner Judy Klusman shared a story about how she asked local elected women, including Alexander, out for coffee when she first decided to run for office in 2014. At the time, Alexander was a member of the Salisbury City Council.

“One said, ‘you’re going to have to run twice to win the first,’ and Karen said ‘no she won’t.’ So, she’s been one of those role models and supporters since day one for me and I’m going to miss her very much,” said Klusman.

Memorial services set for Saturday, Monday

Two memorial services have been scheduled for Alexander, one at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Catawba College and the other at 5:30 p.m. at the Bell Tower Green on Monday.

The Saturday service will be held at the Omwake-Dearborn Chapel on Catawba College’s campus, followed by a reception at the Center for the Environment next door, a building which Alexander designed as an architect. In honor of Alexander, attendees are asked to wear pretty colors and pearls if they have them.

Innes Street will be shut down at 1:30 p.m. from downtown Salisbury to the Catawba campus for the procession and the area of the Brenner and Summit avenues intersection will be shut down from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. for service attendees.

Another memorial service will be held at the Bell Tower Green at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 13.

“The service will celebrate Mayor Alexander’s contributions to the city and the community. The public is invited to attend and is encouraged to bring chairs and bundle up for the cold weather,” wrote Assistant City Manager Kelly Baker in a press release for the event.

The service will conclude with a candlelight vigil.

For more information about the Bell Tower Green event, contact Downtown Development Director Sada Stewart Troutman at 704-637-7814.