Leroy Bennett is the incumbent for the Cypress Borough on City Council, and he will be running unopposed in the Nov. 6 election.

Bennett has been on Suffolk City Council since 1996, with a hiatus from 2012 to 2014, and he is currently the vice mayor.

“I love working for the people, and I am all about serving and being a servant,” Bennett said. “I’ve been a servant for many years, and I really enjoy helping people. I like to be the voice for those who can’t say something.”

Going into this next term, Bennett knows what issues he wants to tackle. Most of his focus is with the Suffolk School Board and their relationship with the City Council.

“I have often said that we don’t meet enough and we should meet at least every quarter. It’s important just to have a relationship and have communication,” Bennett said. “We need to talk about concerns, problems and what we can do to solve them.”

Bennett doesn’t just want a few people from each group to get together to discuss issues. In a perfect world, both the City Council and the School Board would gather as a group to discuss problems and solutions.

“We cannot tell them how to operate. All we can do is fund them, and after that, it is up to them to use the money wisely,” Bennett said. “Sometimes we don’t know what their problems are until they have already happened.”

Within his own borough, Bennett wants to work to continue improvements on the roads. He has had his ears open to his constituents about their current problems.

“I want to continue to work for them and hear their concerns,” Bennett said. “I want to make improvements for their needs.”

Bennett said he consistently tries to be involved within his borough, and he believes that is what keeps bringing him back to City Council.

“I try to bring integrity and honesty. I hear from my constituents and they trust me,” Bennett said. “I have people continue to encourage me to continue to serve, and they feel strong because they can relate to me,” Bennett said. “I don’t just visit during the election, and I’m with them all the time to hear their concerns.”

Since he began on the City Council, Bennett has given his time to multiple boards and committees within the city.

Bennett is the alternate to the Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission, a member of the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, a member of the Suffolk Finance Committee and Suffolk Public Safety Committee. He is also a co-chair of the Boys and Girls Club Board.