Roanoke Rapids City Council Tuesday unanimously appointed former Deputy Police Chief Andy Jackson to fill the unexpired District 2 term of Councilman Wayne Smith.
Smith stepped down from the council in June due to health concerns.
Jackson and retired North Carolina National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 5 James Herring were the only two residents to apply for the seat.
Jackson was appointed on a motion by Councilman Warren Keith Bell on a second from Curtis Strickland.
“I’m very appreciative of being selected to serve for my city for the second time,” Jackson said following the meeting.
Asked if he had any immediate plans, Jackson said, “Just to get busy and get more involved with the community.”
He said the number one priority in the city is safety and the number two priority is cleanliness. “With those two things comes prosperity.”
Of getting the nod, Jackson said, “I was happy, very pleased.”
He said he was not approached to put his name in for consideration. “It was something I wanted to do. I sit back every day and watch politics on the phone. If you don’t get involved you really don’t have any say so.”
In his application for the seat, Jackson said he wanted the position “to assist in providing support and (to be a) voice for all citizens of Roanoke Rapids.”
He noted he wanted to “be able to make Roanoke Rapids a clean, safe and enticing place to live and visit, to help bring businesses to the area and to be active in the community.”
In the comment section of his application he said, “One of my goals as a city councilman would include working with our area youth in making this area a place where they would want to stay and raise families and have careers without leaving,” and “to help build population, revenue and to bring reinvestment into this community.”
Jackson was employed with the city for 20 years and the state of North Carolina for 10 years. In his retirement from the city, he is a floor supervisor at Lowe’s Home Improvement. “I feel I would be an asset to the city because I am familiar and possess a working knowledge of how the city is maintained and managed with a municipal budget.”
Mayor Emery Doughtie said Jackson would be sworn in at the council’s next meeting.
“We thank you both very much for your interest in this position,” the mayor told Jackson and Herring. “I’m sure you are both very well qualified and we hope that both of you all continue to be very interested in our city and continue to cultivate your talents.”
Herring said in his application he was interested in serving because, “The city of Roanoke Rapids needs people to step up and represent the residents of all districts and be available to listen to their concerns and issues and present those in a positive way to the rest of the city council for consideration. Availability and transparency in local government are probably the most important issues for most residents.”
