Job growth at center of Tarboro Ward 7 race

Creating more jobs and quality youth activities and relaying timely information are a few of the issues Ward 7 candidates are touting entering Tarboro’s Nov. 3 election.

As the election draws nearer, both Ward 7 candidates, Taro Knight and Roy Gray, have their sights set on slowly removing Edgecombe County’s name from the list of the poorest counties in Eastern North Carolina.

While the county has a high unemployment rate and the town lacks heavy industries, both candidates believe job placement, job creation and worker training are key.

Knight said long-term partnerships with community colleges and government and nonprofit agencies could be vital for reaching those goals. This could prevent town leaders from tapping into reserve funds and raising taxes.

“We have to be more creative in order to deal with this economic situation,” Knight said.

Gray said he wants to gauge residents’ input on which jobs and industries should make their way to Tarboro. In order to corral them, Gray said, the town should continue to keep a good track record and assist present industries by providing town funds to those that promote new jobs.

“We have to make sure that our town is attractive enough that (businesses) will see us and like what we’ve done,” Gray said.

But despite these plans, both candidates acknowledge they are impossible without participation from residents.

For Knight, Ward 7 is a “unique and highly sensitive” area in the town because of it’s predominately black population. He said many residents have pressing issues lingering, but those often are overlooked because council members are not easily accessible.

If elected, Knight said, he will reach out to residents, answering questions, instead of letting questions fester.

A Tarboro resident since youth, Knight called town politics “most important” because of the possibilities of immediate impact.

“(Council members) serve in a position where they know what’s going on out there,” Knight said. “It would do us no good if (residents) weren’t able to get those immediate answers.”

Both candidates say youth remains a priority.

Knight cited the town’s lack of youth-oriented activities and said he would go after state funds that would create more of them. But Gray suggests the best way to get youth involved is by directly asking them for insight on what they need.

Gray said “resident-sensitive” decision making among town leaders is integral. Since November 2008, Gray has filled the unexpired term of former Ward 7 councilman David Smoot, who resigned August 2008.

He said town decisions should draw resident input, regardless of location or economic status. Gray said feedback from the unemployed, working and senior citizens will bring about many undiscovered issues on that side of town.

“A smart council has to look at each ward and assess their needs, taking out both good and bad,” Gray said.

Knight mentioned many Ward 7 residents on the campaign trail have displayed apathy toward town government. One reason is because residents have fears and cemented notions that their area will not change, he said.

But Knight said he hopes to change those perceptions.

“(Council members) serve as the town’s example, they can’t do everything,” Knight said. “Every government has its limits. We need new voices to speak up and show (council members) the direction they would like to go.”