Last week the Wake Forest Gazette published an article in which the two candidates for mayor, Commissioner Bridget Wall-Lennon and Mayor Vivian Jones, and four of the five candidates for two seats on the town board, Nick Sliwinski, Liz Simpers, Michael Molinaro and Patrick Griffin, introduced themselves.
This week Keith Shackleford introduces himself:
“Home is where your heart is. My heart has been in Wake Forest since I can remember. My family has called Wake Forest home for over a century. My grandmother, Miss Esther, was a small business owner operating what was fondly known as “Massenburg Sweet Shop.” Each summer I went to “arts & craft,” played basketball on the courts at Juniper and Taylor and rode my bike endlessly around the neighborhood.
Although I did not attend school here, Wake Forest has always been my home. After graduating from Wake Forest University School of Law, I returned to Wake Forest to practice law. After meeting and marrying my wife in Wake Forest, we decided to stay and raise our family here.
Over the years, I had the opportunity to serve on several boards that have given me a diverse set of experiences upon which to draw. I served as a commissioner on the Housing Authority of Wake County Board for four terms. Affordable housing is becoming a problem in our town. A true solution will have to address the issue from different angles, using our resources in new ways.
As a trustee for Wake Technical Community College for eight years, I was involved with the growth of one of our County’s best assets. Our community college is an integral part of our education system and workforce development.
I am currently serving my second term on the Wake Forest Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Our law firm has been a stalwart of support for small business through the Chamber and in our business relationships. My law practice has permitted me to help solve a variety of issues encountered by individual and business clients. I have represented clients in disputes with neighbors and before the Town Board on zoning issues.
I was a member of the Steering Committee for the Wake Forest Community Plan in 2009. The Community Plan captured the collective vision of our town for years to come. It provided a road map for our town leadership. Finally, I was a member of the East End Community Association formed by the residents of the northeast section of Wake Forest to address concerns and issues, including affordable housing, high cost of electricity, community policing, streetscape, and activities for our children.
My motivation for running for town board is that I am committed to the residents and small businesses that call Wake Forest home. As a life-long resident and business owner, I have a keen interest in how our town manages its growth and provides services to our citizens.”
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The Gazette will be publishing a series of questions posed to the candidates about issues facing our town and our people in September and October. If you have an interest in learning how the candidates answer an issue, please send your suggestion to the editor, Carol Pelosi, at cwpelosi@aol.com.
The election will be on Nov. 2. You must be registered in Wake County to vote in this election, and the deadline for registration is by 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 8. The registration deadline is always 25 days before an election.
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One Response
I worked closely with Keith for a number of years on a non-profit board. He is a skilled listener which allows him to be a skilled highly effective problem solver. He is collaborative by nature and does not hesitate to stand on a firm moral and ethical bedrock of deeply held principals. He would be a stellar member of the town board.