Stuart seeks vacant Goldsboro council seat
By Matt Shaw
Published in News on June 21, 2004 1:56 PM
D.A. Stuart, who lost to William Goodman in last year's elections, is seeking to replace him on the Goldsboro City Council.
Stuart has submitted his name for the City Council as a possible appointment to the Dis-trict 3 seat. Goodman resigned earlier this month.
The only other known candidate is Nathaniel Best Jr. The city is planning to accept applications until July 9. The appointment is expected to be made by the council on July 19.
Stuart
Stuart moved to Goldsboro in 1989 and started the Rent-A-Spouse.com Home Improvements. His business experience has convinced him that he could bring a needed perspective to the City Council, he said.
"I feel there are a lot of issues that need to be addressed and some have not even surfaced in the council meetings yet," he said. "Goldsboro has a long ways to go, and I want to help take it there."
Stuart has the time to offer the city, he said. "I feel that being on the City Council is just about a full-time job. In my current position, I am free to meet those needs. I am not tied down by a 40-hour-per-week job and I can be extremely flexible."
Stuart filed in 2003 for the District 3 seat. He finished third in the primary election behind Goodman and Naomi Williams. He then offered himself as a write-in candidate for mayor.
Stuart said that he would step aside, should Ms. Williams offer herself as a candidate this year.
Stuart offered these stands on current issues:
*Civic Center -- Stuart favors it being built on the city's property at the corner of Wayne Memorial Drive and New Hope Road. "I do not know all the facts in this case, but at this time it seems more feasible than placing it downtown and creating more congestion," he said.
*Storefront churches -- Stuart believes the city should prevent new churches from locating downtown but support the existing ones. "Eventually, with the grace of God, they will move on to bigger and better places and the buildings they are in can revert to other businesses," he said.
*Annexation -- Stuart said he is in "total disagreement" with involuntary annexation. "I can see no benefit for these residents, nor the citizens of this city for that matter. On the contrary, I feel this forced annexation will place an unfair financial burden on these people and will wind up costing Goldsboro -- win, lose or draw -- more money than it's worth," he said.
Stuart, 48, is a native of Lewiston, Maine. He holds a degree in criminal justice from the University of Maine-Augusta and then served in the U.S. Air Force as a security police officer.
He has been a reserve officer for the Pikeville Police Department and a special deputy for the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. He has been a member of the American Legion since 1975 and currently is part of Post 11. He also belongs to the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce and the Wayne County Historic Association. He attends First Assemblies of God.
He has a daughter, Crystal Lynn Stuart, 22, who lives in Sierra Vista, Ariz.
Stuart has also run for Wayne County commissioner, losing in the Democratic primary for District 3 in 2000.