One of the benefits of gaining experience in life, and business, is learning to carefully listen.
It’s that skill that leads to problems being solved, said Salisbury City Councilman Jack Heath, who has filed for re-election.
“When emotions take over, that is not in the best interest of solving problems,” said Heath, who was appointed in September last year to fill the remainder of Councilwoman Terry Cohen’s term, after she resigned.
Now the 68-year-old, an independent in the non-partisan city race, is running for a full four-year term. The election is Nov. 3
“I ran and lost the last time, then I was appointed. When I interviewed for the appointment for Terry’s replacement, one of the questions they asked me was, ‘Would you consider running again?’ I said if I felt I had contributed and had a positive effect on the council I would do it. I believe that has happened. I believed I’ve been a positive contributor,” he said.
Heath said his business background has helped him serve on the council because he’s applied “some of the best practices in my business career to the government sector.”
Among them is fiscal responsibility, as well as protecting financial stability, he said. He doesn’t believe in reducing the city’s surplus unless it’s an emergency, saying, “that’s what the surplus is there for.”
Heath also believes in accountability and setting goals and objectives. “My engineering background taught me numbers and metrics are very important … and we have to try to apply that instead of emotion,” he said.
A chemical engineer, Heath has run several businesses and been involved in manufacturing. Technically retired, his last job was running Lower Shore Enterprises.
Reach Susan Canfora at scanfora@newszap.com.
