THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 8, 1995 TAG: 9510080039
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PERRY PARKS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
Donald Yates Cherry wants to maintain a good dialogue with his constituents if he's elected to the City Council.
The 44-year-old Century 21 Realtor has asked a diverse group of 40 residents to serve as an informal link between him and the community. He hopes the board will increase political participation in the 1st Ward.
``I met some people that (are) very interested in participating, and hopefully that'll give them an avenue,'' Cherry says. ``And the key is going to be following and staying in touch with people. I hope that works.''
Cherry says his greatest strength in his run for the council is his local roots. He was born in Belcross and went to school in Pasquotank County. His wife, Deborah, is the media coordinator at J.C. Sawyer Elementary.
``The key thing that I've got is being a native of the area,'' Cherry says. ``Basically, I'm a product of Elizabeth City. . . . I've had family ties here for four generations plus.''
Being on the council would be ``an opportunity to serve my hometown,'' says Cherry, who holds a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. ``It's just a point in life where . . . you either stay at home and be frustrated or go out and participate.''
The thrust of Cherry's platform is economic development.
Business growth would lead to more jobs, which Cherry says would go a long way toward eliminating other city problems such as poverty and crime.
To accomplish growth, the council needs to work closely with the city-county Industrial Development Commission and other agencies that recruit businesses, Cherry says. Another key, he says, is building relationships with the local governments north of the Virginia border.
To lure businesses to town, Cherry says, the city needs to improve its infrastructure. He congratulates the council on its $21 million overhaul of the water and sewer system, which he says is a step in the right direction.
Although the council waffles in its decision-making occasionally, Cherry says, he does not intend to dramatically change the way the board does business.
``I don't have any big problems with it. Sometimes they're a little slow to move to consensus on some items,'' he says. ``What I'm going to try to do is go and listen and learn for a period of time.''
Cherry says he has ``walked practically every street in the 1st Ward'' and has delivered information to every address in his effort to win over voters.
He has spent around $520 on his campaign, a little more than half of which is his own money.
Cherry acknowledges that his constituency would be diverse - the ward contains some of the city's richest and poorest residents - but he said he could serve both groups' interests.
``They probably have more problems in common than they do differences,'' he says. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Cherry
KEYWORDS: ELIZABETH CITY CITY COUNCIL RACE CANDIDATES by CNB