ROCKWELL — Voters will have their choice between two men for Rockwell mayor in 2019.

Beau Taylor, who has served has mayor for 18 years, is facing a challenge from Chris Stiller, who has been an alderman for six years.

Taylor said that folks have asked him to run again and that he loves the job, meeting people and helping to help his town.

In a post on Facebook, Stiller wrote that he promises to give 100% if elected mayor.

“I have been an alderman for 6 years so I am aware of what is happening in Rockwell government,” Stiller wrote.

Several attempts by the Post to contact Stiller were unsuccessful. On his Facebook account, Stiller says he’s a retired maintenance technician from Phillip Morris USA, studied at Rowan Tech before it became Rowan-Cabarrus Community college and went to East Rowan High School

Taylor, 77, is also retired. He worked for Food Lion for years, starting as a bagger and eventually opening the store in Rockwell.

He graduated from the former Denton High School attended Lees-McRae College and graduated from Pfeiffer University.

Taylor says he’s running on a platform of being available to citizens.

“I’ve always tried to be there for the citizens,” he said.

Taylor says the town of Rockwell is growing and that population growth will come in the next two years, in particular, because of the Alexander Glen subdivision that’s being built. It’s slated to have more than 100 houses, which Taylor reasoned will bring a few hundred residents.

Meanwhile, once all lanes on Interstate 85 and an exit at Old Beatty Ford Road open, there will be a “short shot over the Rockwell.”

“My goal is to develop local business to where you don’t have to go to Kannapolis or Salisbury to purchase things,” he said.

In his next term, Taylor said he would also like to work on building a new police station, as the current one is more than 100 years old.

The candidate who receives the most votes in this year’s mayoral race will receive a two-year term in office.

Meanwhile, there are five open seats this year for a two-year term as alderman and five candidates running: Timothy Justin Crews, Chris Cranford, Chuck Bowman, Stephanie Walker and Lizz Johnson.

Barring a successful write-in campaign, all five will make the board.