By Josh Bergeron

josh.bergeron@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — At times, Craig Pierce has been a polarizing figure in local politics because of his words, but he touts his actions as reasons he deserves another four years on the Rowan County Board of Commissioners.

Pierce, one of two incumbents seeking re-election, was first elected in 2012 to the county’s governing board. He owns a local construction company. He has served on the county’s planning board and airport advisory board.

In his four years, Pierce says he has worked hard to address issues where “the can has been kicked down the road.” Pierce estimated he’s spent more time working on county issues than ones related to his private business.

“I have tried to tackle things that, in my opinion, have been festering for a long time,” he said in an interview with the Salisbury Post.

Among commissioners, Pierce has been the most involved in animal shelter issues. He was also the first in recent history to publicly propose a county-owned water and sewer system for economic development purposes. Other projects he mentioned as being long delayed and finally accomplished in the previous four years include finalizing an agreement for a Rowan-Salisbury School System central office and providing large-enough office space for the Board of Elections and Veterans Services.

During his four years in office, the county sold a large plot of land in the Summit Corporate Center that now houses a shopping complex. Agility Fuel Solutions opened a regional headquarters in the county’s corporate center. Phase two of the Gildan Yarns Heilig Road development and new hangars at the Rowan County Airport were also on the list of economic development accomplishments Pierce mentioned.

A water and sewer system ranks among significant projects during Pierce’s time on the Board of Commissioners. County officials are in planning phases of the project, but expect the water lines to spur much-needed economic development.

A county water system will be extended where demand exists, Pierce said. He dismissed any comparisons to Fibrant — Salisbury’s fiber-optic utility — which has underperformed initial expectations. Pierce said the system will only be built where demand exists.

If loans or other debt is needed for the water and sewer system, Pierce said the “worst case” scenario would be an extra penny on property tax.

“Is it not worth a penny to propel us into the future?” Pierce asked.

Pierce has also been behind multiple changes at the Rowan County Animal Shelter. It’s an area Pierce said he was told wouldn’t be worth the trouble. He said difficult issues that don’t come with instant gratification are “no reason not to listen to constituents.”

Despite his work, Pierce’s time as commissioner has come with an occasional dose of controversy.

For example, Pierce reacted to a 2015 decision to cancel contracts at West End Plaza by accusing the Salisbury City Council of meddling in county business. He called new commissioners — elected in 2014 — “the best commission that the City Council’s money can buy.”

Following a January planning meeting among commissioners, Pierce also attracted criticism for describing an example of someone living in public housing.

“A girl goes in and gets pregnant and automatically qualifies for a two bedroom apartment. So what’s she do? She moves her boyfriend in for free,” Pierce said during the planning meeting. “And this is the truth … (The boyfriend) is slinging crack rock all day long, driving a brand new Lexus out there. She’s living in this house and paying no rent, no power, no phone and she gets $552 per month per child.”

When asked about his controversial comments, Pierce said he wasn’t a politician when he ran for office in 2012 and won’t be a politician when he leaves elected office.

“When there’s an injustice or an inequality, what’s the point in talking in all this feel good language?” Pierce asked. “Let’s talk about it in the real context.”

Some of the controversial decisions during Pierce’s time in office include purchasing the former Salisbury Mall, de-annexing the airport from the City of Salisbury and the ongoing prayer lawsuit in federal court.

Addressing each item, Pierce said the former mall — now West End Plaza — remains the most cost-effective option in providing county departments with office space. It also is preventing property values from declining in nearby areas, he said. If Rowan County hadn’t purchased the former mall, Pierce said property values in the Meadowbrook and Westcliffe neighborhoods would have “fallen like a rock off a building.”

De-annexing the airport made it more enticing for people to bring airplanes to the facility, he said. Without sitting in the city limits, airplane owners don’t pay city taxes. Pierce said planes parked at the airport don’t need the services that city taxes pay for.

Asked about the prayer lawsuit, Pierce said the county’s options were either to defend its policy or automatically lose.

“At that point, we’ve got no recourse but to defend ourselves,” he said. “It’s not like we went out looking for a fight.”

If it loses in the end, Pierce said it’s unlikely that Rowan County will shoulder the potential financial burden of the prayer lawsuit. Pierce said he’s been assured the entire cost would be covered with funds from outside the county coffers.

In November, Pierce will face off against three other candidates for two open spots on the Board of Commissioners. Those candidates include incumbent Mike Caskey, Democratic challenger Veleria Levy and Libertarian challenger Mark Lyerly.

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246.