Marty Turner and Pierre Beard are teaming up in the Ward 4 race.
Turner, the incumbent Ward 4 city councilman, received an endorsement from former challenger Beard on Friday.
Beard said he decided to back Turner after speaking to the other Ward 4 candidates. He called Turner a “proven leader” and said he wants to work with Turner to solve the ward’s issues.
“He has proven himself multiple times,” Beard said. “I have vowed my loyalty to Marty because we’re going to work together these next four years, and I’m going to be right beside his side to make sure all of the issues of Ward 4 will be heard and will be met.”
Beard finished last in the four-candidate Ward 4 seat, with 135 votes. He and Lavonne Latham-Harris (169 votes) are out of the race. Turner and challenger Fredrick Jackson advance to a May 16 runoff after neither managed to get more than 50 percent of the vote. Turner finished first in the vote total with 279 votes, and Jackson finished behind him with 267.
Beard said at an April 29 forum that he would back Turner if he didn’t win the Ward 4 race. Turner, on Friday, said Beard’s endorsement spoke to his character.
“He’s a man of his word,” Turner said. “He’s proving himself right now in the public, that he’s a man of his word. Just like he said he will address these issues, we will address these issues.”
Both men said Beard can help convey constituent concerns to Turner that he might otherwise miss.
For example, Beard said he’d already told Turner about one constituent’s concerns about speed bumps on Shady Street.
“I can’t be everywhere at one time,” Turner said. “If they call me, I will come. Now I’ve got help.”
During his press conference, which was held near the entrance of the former Kerr-McGee/Tronox site, Turner spoke of the progress Ward 4 has seen, such as $7.2 million in improvements during his term. But with a motion to the empty plant site — which he called a “generational blight” for the environmental damage caused through creosote contamination and the people it’s harmed — he said there’s more work to do.
“We will not allow this to happen right in our neighborhood and not let something be done about it,” Turner said. “We will stand. We don’t care how long it takes, and we’re gonna make sure that this is on the forefront of everything that we try to do.”
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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