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Mike Barber chose not to seek re-election in District 4, which leaves the Greensboro City Council seat open for Joel Landau or Mary Rakestraw.

Rakestraw is an at-large council member, and Landau is making his third bid for a council seat.

Early voting is under way, and Election Day is Tuesday.

What the two District 4 City Council candidates say they would like to accomplish:

Joel Landau

Age: 59

Residence: 6 Collwood Court

Occupation: General manager, Deep Roots Market

Education: Bachelor of science, Cornell University

What is the No. 1 problem facing Greensboro? “The biggest problem we face is the public feeling disconnected from city government. We need to reach out beyond the usual groups who are already deeply involved. We need to elect people who clearly have no private agenda other than doing what’s best for Greensboro.”

Goals for the term: If elected, Landau would like the council to adopt the energy plan that he’s working on with the Community Sustainability Council. He also hopes to bring more diversity — not simply in terms of race — to the city’s committees and advisory boards.

“I plan on contacting and talking to all the people in my district who put their name in,” he said, adding that he’s heard of people interested in serving on city boards who have waited years before contact from the city.

Mary Rakestraw

Age: 61

Residence: 101 E. Avondale Drive

Occupation: Retired real estate broker-agent

Education: Certificate in French, University of Brussels

What is the No. 1 problem facing Greensboro? “The top problem is the reputation of the police department. I have been working on this problem and will continue to do so, restoring our police department to a level of not only shared respect among the officers but also with and by the public. Working with our new city manager is the direction we as a council should follow.”

Goals for the term: Rakestraw said she’d like to see break-ins decrease over the first year of the next term. To help with that, she said she would meet with police and voters from her district and increase the number of qualified officers that apply to the academy.

“Because the ones that have applied, many of them have not been able to pass the background checks,” Rakestraw said. She also would increase police recruitment efforts in nearby high schools and colleges, as well as colleges beyond the area.

Contact Gerald Witt at 373-7008 or gerald.witt@news-record.com