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To the Editor:

As a lifelong citizen of our beloved city, formerly Nansemond County now the City of Suffolk, I feel obligated to express my concerns pertaining to this councilmanic and school board campaign.

First and foremost, we, the citizens of the city, have the opportunity to elect persons who will bring stability, unity and fairness to these important positions.

As one who served this city honorably and admirably for 20 years plus six months and eight years on the City Council as vice mayor from 1978-1982, and 12 years plus six months on the School Board as vice chairman from 2010-2018, party partisanship was not an issue. Surely persons expressed personal preferences when state and national elections were held, but local elections dealt primarily with local issues, not party partisanship.

It now appears to me that some of our local candidates are bringing Washington divisions to our city. Suffolkians, in previous years have been fortunate to address local issues, not Washington-style behavior. Constitutional officers, city councilmembers, and school board members have all addressed local issues with this trend being advantageous to its citizens in my opinion.

We have a beautiful city. Let’s keep moving forward together.

Enoch C. Copeland

Suffolk