Charles Parr is running for a third term as the Suffolk Borough representative on City Council “to continue the progress of the city of Suffolk,” he said.

Parr, a funeral home owner, touted the achievements of his first two terms, including the city’s AAA bond rating, capital improvements in local neighborhoods, Nansemond Parkway widening and more.

“I think that the city is doing great and that progress has been phenomenal in the eight and a half years I’ve been on council,” he said.

He attributed the progress to the “hard work of staff, City Council and citizens.”

“The results don’t lie,” he said. In 2006, he noted, “we were in a deep, deep, deep crevice.” The city’s bond rating was A- — several tiers below where it is now — the city had less than one day’s expenses in the bank, and it was out of compliance with its own financial policies.

It has turned all that around “in the worst economic times of my 53 years,” he said.

He noted the city has built a new city hall that will “pay for itself by reducing city leaseholds.” He also said the city has brought in 300 new businesses and around 7,000 new jobs.

“Those aren’t chicken-feed jobs, as some folks would like to think,” he said. “We have the best economic development director who has brought big things to the city.”

Parr said he does have some plans for the next few years, and they include “to keep promoting downtown” and ensuring the new downtown library gets built.

He also would like to see a new school in the downtown core.

“Right now, the kids in downtown Suffolk are bused to five different schools,” he said. “That really doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.”

Parr also said he wants to improve communication with the schools but also said he wants to see results from them.

“I’m a results-driven person, and results matter to me,” he said. “I need to see the results of the money that we spend.”

He said he thinks a recent exodus of nearly 120 teachers may not be entirely due to low pay.

“Money is not the cure-all for every issue,” he said, noting management and administration play a role.

“I’m looking forward to another four years of serving,” he added.