Special to Iredell Free News

Local business owner James H. Pressly has announced his candidacy for an at-large seat on the Statesville City Council.

Pressly, 35, is the son of former Statesville Mayor David L. Pressly Jr. and Tammy V. Pressly, and the fourth generation of his family to live and work in the city.

“I’m running because I have a story to tell, a story that every citizen of Statesville needs to hear,” Pressly said. “Over the past year, I’ve been in a huge fight with the city over the expansion of the Martin Marietta rock quarry into our north Statesville residential neighborhood. I have seen firsthand how our local government abandoned our neighbors when they were most at need, and that’s not right.

“I have seen firsthand how ordinary taxpaying citizens have been demeaned, diminished, and flat-out denied access to their own city hall,” he added. “I have seen firsthand how this city hall is completely out of touch with the needs of our citizens. And now they’re out of time.”

Pressly, a second-generation builder and residential manager, expressed frustration with a lack of vision and execution from city leadership. A community organizer and advocate for city taxpayers, he vowed to keep taxes low, remove unnecessary and costly regulation, and promote smart growth in the city.

“Our citizens tell me they want our city hall to focus on basic city services such as police, fire, water and sewer, and garbage collection, not the needs out out-of-town millionaires,” Pressly said. “And it makes common sense to me that if other towns can address and solve similar problems, then Statesville can address the challenges and issues such as the Shelton Avenue and East Broad Street corridors that have existed and gone unaddressed for decades.”

Pressly graduated with a degree in history from the University of South Carolina and holds graduate degrees in business administration (WCU) and real estate finance (UNCC). Pressly is assistant football coach at Oakwood Middle School, an Eagle Scout from New Salem United Methodist Church Troop 363, ordained and installed officer at Davidson College Presbyterian Church, and an active member of the Fourth Creek Rotary Club.

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For more information, follow his campaign on Facebook: @jhpresslycitycouncil