Candidate Biography (submitted by campaign):

Susan E. Clarke, Attorney at Law : telephone: 910. 796.3289

Education:

University of South Florida. BA in Zoology, BA in Psychology
Pepperdine University School of  Law, Juris Doctor 1979

Bar Associations: Admitted to the California, Missouri and North Carolina Bars

Current Occupation:

Cape Fear Community College: Fulltime instructor in the Paralegal, Criminal Justice and Film and Video Programs

I have practiced law since 1980.  I began my practice in California, then moved to Missouri in 1981 where I was a full partner in The Spauding Law Firm, in a suburb of St. Louis, Chesterfield.  My practice was a general practice, and eventually began  to specializing in Family Law matters. I was appointed as a Guardian Ad Litem for children by the St. Louis City and County Courts.

I taught at St. Louis University School of Law as an adjunct professor for many years.

I was an elected official for the City of Chesterfield, and then was appointed as the Prosecuting Attorney and became the Chief Law Enforcement Officer for the City.

While on the city council I was on the Public Safety Committee and the Planning and Zoning Committee. I sat as the liaison to the Planning Commission.

I was also placed in charge of the task of insuring compliance by the city council to the Sunshine Laws.

I have also practiced law in Wilmington. My practice was mainly Real Estate closings and I was appointed to the New Hanover County Indigent Representation list.

I have run previously and hopefully the voters will remember my platform. I was opposed to the Convention Center and the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority.

I am still concerned about the convention center and the method the current council has handled the building or lack of building to be more accurate of the Hotel. As for the CFPUA, how's that working out for us? We all waited six months for a bill. Of all the residents I have spoken to with regards to the Authority, I have not heard one positive word.

I believe in the mission statement for the city. That we are to provide a safe place to live. I believe the police and fire fighters need the necessary funding to have the tools they need to keep us safe, and we have the responsibility to keep them as employees, by addressing their needs.

I do not believe as I heard form the incumbents in the last election that crime is down in Wilmington. I no longer feel safe walking downtown after dark.

I am tired of the council voting to rezone property to a more dense zoning category. We have flooding now from rain, how much more can we take? When you constantly build, the water must go somewhere, and so, homes are flooding due to poor planning.

I believe the voters biggest concern is with the budget and spending. I certainly hope the voters remember the attitude the current council had when the Washington D.C. trip hit the news.

We need to be more conservative in our spending. If we had made better choices in the past, would not be faced with the task of forcefully annexing property to make up for our incompetence in handling the taxpayers dollars.

-- Susan E. Clarke