MAXTON — Jobs, housing, downtown revitalization, economic development, more programs for the town’s elderly and youths, and a more open and efficient government are some of the issues that candidates for the Maxton Board of Commissioners say need to be addressed soon.

Next Tuesday four candidates are seeking two open seats on the town’s governing board, which includes five commissioners and the mayor. Incumbent James McClanathan is hoping to retain his seat through a write-in candidacy.

McClanathan, whose seat is up for grabs along with the seat now held by Commissioner Sallie McLean, failed to meet the July 17 deadline to file. Not having his name on the ballot, he said, is making his re-election effort “a little more difficult.”

In addition to McClanathan, those running for the board are James McDougald, Minnie Pipkin Miller and Victor R. Womack Sr. McLean is not seeking re-election.

The election is non-partisan, and the two candidates receiving the most votes from all votes cast will fill the seats for the next four years.

McClanathan, 58, insists that his experience as a commissioner makes him the best candidate to serve on the board.

“We have some serious issues to face, and right now we have no town manager and our police chief is retiring as of next month,” he said. “Now is the time we need experience on this board. Two new commissioners on the board, while we are having to decide on a new manager and police chief, may not be in the best interest of the residents of Maxton.”

McClanathan, the general manager and wine maker at Cypress Bend Vineyard in Wagram, points to economic development as the most critical issue facing his community.

“Certainly housing, jobs and the revitalization of the downtown are important,” he said, noting that the town has received a number of grants to assist in these areas. “These are things that we have been working on and will continue to work on.”

Although running for her first elected office, Miller, 65, has served on town committees, including the Recreation Committee and the Downtown Revitalization Committee. She says if elected she would work to provide more programs and activities for Maxton’s young and old.

“I’m concerned about the overall welfare of our elderly and youth,” she said. “There is no recreation for our young people. Health care and more activities and entertainment for our elderly are needed.”

Miller, a retired West Point Stevens employee, also points to housing, job creation, downtown revitalization and overall beautification of the town as needing to be addressed.

“These things can be accomplished through cooperation and unity,” she said. “We need more unity among the people of our town. Certainly it’s fine to disagree, but hopefully along with disagreement there can be cooperation.”

McDougald, 52, owner of the Express Laundry and publisher and part owner of the Maxton Times newspaper, is running for his first public office. He says he is concerned that the current board is not addressing issues that would make Maxton a better community.

“City government is like a corporation,” said McDougald, who played professional football in th NFL after being a standout at Maxton High School at Wake Forest University. “The Board of Commissioners are not running it that way ... . We need to get the machine back on track. It’s all about the citizens we serve.”

McDougald points to housing, unemployment and the need to recruit new retail businesses downtown as the key issues.

“We need to try to get some industry to come to Maxton, but most of all we need to attract new retail businesses. We need new retail businesses so that the people in the community don’t always have to run to Lumberton and Laurinburg to buy the things they need.

“We need to be able to purchase staple items. I can’t even get a shirt or pair of shoes in town.”

Womack, 59, a job coach at Scotland County High School, is also running for his first elected office. He says that finding financial resources to support law enforcement and fund such efforts as housing improvements, downtown revitalization, and infrastructure is the most critical issue facing the town board.

“When you (as a community) fail to grow, you deteriorate,” he said. “I want to see this town grow and not deteriorate.”

Womack, the current vice chairman of the Maxton Chamber of Commerce, points to retail business and industrial recruitment as necessities if the community is to grow. A shortage of jobs and housing, he said, is forcing the town’s young people to move to cities such as Raleigh, Charlotte and Greensboro, where more opportunities exist.

Womack also said that Maxton’s town government needs to be more “transparent.”

“There needs to be a more open-door policy so that the people have better access to their government,” he said.