Mayor-elect Day talks issues, solutions, and direction of Salisbury
Running unopposed, securing 96.5% of the votes, City Council President Jake Day will soon replace Jim Ireton as Salisbury’s mayor and he says topping his to-do-list, or perhaps underpinning the whole thing is a philosophical shift.
“Priority number one is to restore a sense of self esteem and pride to this community. And that may sound like an intangible, but I think it’s something we can all sense. I think this community feels more pride than it did a few years ago.”
Day says in order to accomplish that goal, the city needs to first make up for shortcomings in other areas like its economy.
He says that with more people working in Wicomico County than before the 2008 recession, progress has been made, but more still needs to be done.
“That’s a fantastic thing because no county south of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge can say that except for us, we’re the only one. That’s a very wonderful thing, but we’re not done yet. ” Day said, “This place represents 93% of the economic activity in Wicomico County and 91% of jobs in Wicomico County. The city of Salisbury is an economic engine and when there’s gunk in the engine, it’s not healthy and the entire community suffers.”
Moving forward, downtown revitalization and business development will play a key role in improving the economy.
Under the soon-to-be Mayor Day, the city will financially support the arts and entertainment district, fund a new downtown branding project hire two-full time police officers, and continue all of the business incentive programs currently in place.
Day believes a thriving business environment and a more social atmosphere would give some of Salisbury University’s many graduates a reason to stick around and create a life for themselves.
“We gotta embrace them. We gotta increase our value proposition so that they know this is a place that they should want to stay, grow a family, grow a business.”
Another issue is crime.
In recent months, young men including 17-year-old Rakim Russell and 21-year-old Dommeir DeShields, died after they were shot, allegedly by men younger than 23.
Incidents like these have led to community discussions about a potential curfew and regardless of public opinion, Day thinks the curfew is defensive and not the total solution.
He argues that going on the offensive and supporting community and family building programs would help set kids on a better path.
“What if they had far better options available to them earlier in life, and I’m talking much earlier in life. What if they had better after-school activities, better mentors.”
” A curfew in place is a fantastic tool, right, but it’s nothing more than that. It’s not a catch all. It’s just a tool, it’s a defensive tool not an offensive tool. It’s doesn’t say we’re going to go and fix the problem, it says we’re going to catch it once there is a problem.”
No matter what problem Day will be tackling as Mayor he’ll be working with a a newly structured council consisting of April Jackson, Muir Boda, current Mayor Jim Ireton, and current council members Jack Heath and Laura Mitchell.
A crew that he says has the potential to do some great things.
“We’re going to work really well together, I’m confident in that,” and, ” I’m kind of sad I wont be behind that table anymore, I had a lot of fun for 2 1/2 years, but I’m also very excited to work with this team and I’m excited for them to find their own dynamic.”
Day and City Council will be sworn in on November sixteenth at the Salisbury Fire headquarters.
