news-record.com

The city’s longest-serving councilman wants another term.

Robbie Perkins said the current council wasted time fighting about the manager — whom he supported up to his dismissal.

But Perkins pointed to things like High Point Road improvements as signs of success. He pushed for the purchase of a manufacturing building to add to the coliseum. He also advocated for the new aquatics center at the coliseum to be built this year to take advantage of reduced construction costs.

Government spending like that creates jobs, he said. “That is going to be a shot in the arm not only for High Point Road but for the whole city.”

Perkins supports the city buying land for future portions of the Urban Loop.

He didn’t back a city staff-proposed ordinance that would require noise barriers to the highway because he said it was unclear they would help.

Perkins said council members can help the police department by supporting it.

“You don’t trash them. You try to invest in the systems and education that allow them to do their jobs more effectively.”