Incumbent Roanoke Rapids city Councilman Carl Ferebee will see competition for his District 3 council seat from challenger Terry Buffaloe in Tuesday’s municipal elections.

Buffaloe

Buffaloe, a part-time human resources and continuing adult education instructor at Halifax Community College, said he wants to address the following issues should he be elected:

“I would establish an after school reading for comprehension program to be held at the Chaloner Recreation Center,” he said in a requested statement. “I would start a focus group for developing small businesses in District 3. I would establish community groups to better understand the desires for improvement of relations between citizens and government.”

Said Buffaloe: “I will work with the city government to develop a more equitable relationship with each district in Roanoke Rapids.”

Ferebee

Ferebee, who is employed at Halifax Regional, said in a requested statement, he is running for reelection “because there is still work to be done.”

He said, “I have seen Roanoke Rapids at its best and Roanoke Rapids struggling. I offer experience that is able to understand the difference. I am not running for re-election just to hold an office.”  

His vision is:

• • To offer a positive attitude, availability and approachability to “all of our citizens in the entire city.”
• • To assist in new jobs and offer leadership that is able to work together with all local government bodies to help bring in new, good paying jobs like the jobs that were announced in the past 10 months — Reser’s, JBB Packaging, Air Boss, PCB Piezotronics totaling approximately 300 jobs collectively. “We have to be able to reach out to all of our government bodies local and state to make that happen.” 
• • To help make small businesses that locate to the community successful.
• • To hold down taxes and continue to look for ways to hold down taxes. “With finance experience I am able to work with other city council members during budget time to obtain the essential items and not have to raise taxes which haven’t been raised in many years. This helps with our citizens especially the elderly.”
• • To support cleaning up neighborhoods of blighted areas like the Vine Street project where many dilapidated homes were removed and to promote home ownership which brings more pride and a sense of accomplishment for the neighborhoods like the Spring Street project.
• • To continue to work with local businesses to promote affordable living for the elderly and not so old like Old Towne Village. “The community center at Old Towne is named after one of Hodgestown’s own, Jettie Purnell,  and Chapel Ridge Apartments with Madison Mullen’s picture, our first councilman from District 3, hanging in the foyer.” 
• • To continue to spearhead and work with the community on the Chaloner Recreation Center Project that brought about the splash pad that has been enjoyed by so many. 
• • To work with other local and civic organizations to promote community awareness like the Sarah Keys Evans project that is underway at the Martin Luther King Park.
• • To support our city administration and departments to make them the best they can be to include our finance, human resources, police, fire, planning, recreation, public works and main street.