By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

Current Pelham Councilwoman Karyl Rice recently announced she will seek her eighth term in office during the city’s upcoming elections.

Rice, who has lived in Pelham for more than 40 years and has served on the council for 28 years, said she decided to re-run to continue to address the issues the city is facing.

“At this crucial time, we need a mayor and council who can develop a shared vision for the future of our city, and who will work together to make it a reality,” Rice said.

Rice said economic development is one of the city’s “major issues,” and said she would like to see Pelham work to actively recruit new businesses.

“But we need to be very careful to recruit new businesses that will not abuse the businesses we already have,” Rice said. “We need to be aware of what businesses we have here in the city, and the businesses we would like to have.”

Rice also said she would like to see the city hire a full-time manager to run the Pelham Civic Complex, and said she would like to see the complex remain under city ownership.

“I feel like I have a responsibility to the citizens, the employees and myself to see the Civic Complex through,” Rice said. “I would like to see us hire a Civic Complex manager who will move to Pelham and have a vested interest.”

She also said education “is always at the top” of the city’s list of issues, and said she would like to see Pelham continue the financial and in-kind support it has provided to schools in the past.

“As long as I have been on the council, the city has always been a supporter of schools,” she said. “I don’t see that changing at all. With that being said, I think it can be improved.”

As of July 17, Rice and former Pelham councilman Jim Phillips had qualified to run for Place 5 on the council. Rice’s campaign website is at Facebook.com/KarylRicePlace5PelhamCityCouncil.

“It’s something that’s near and dear to my heart,” Rice said of serving on the council.