By Seth Leonard
sleonard@salisburypost.com
SPENCER ó Tracy Aitken will run for a Spencer alderman seat in the upcoming election.
Aitken, a single mother of three, operates Pinocchio’s Restaurant in Spencer. She also has a home-based business, Usborne Books, which deals with children’s educational books.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Oakland University in Rochester, Mich. She served in the U.S. Army for seven years as an intelligence analyst and also taught at the sergeant’s school.
Aitken is involved in local activities beyond her business ventures. She is the president of the Spencer Business Association, is a member of the Zoning Board and sings in the Spencer Singing Christmas Tree.
She was also a member of the Land Use Steering Committee.
Aitken, a graduate of Leadership Rowan, feels Spencer is doing well, but could do better.
“Spencer is really on the right track right now,” she said. “We have a really active community base of volunteers and leaders who have all been working hard in bringing back revitalizing our downtown.”
She said she plans to continue to tap in to state and federal programs that help small towns, especially those with struggling downtown areas. The town is already applying for many of those programs and Aitken said she would fully support similar initiatives.