Aaron Baker, community activist and Oskar Blues marketer, announces run for Brevard City Council
Baker, a Brevard College graduate, has served on the boards of the Transylvania County Tourism and Chamber of Commerce.
Dan DeWitt
Brevard NewsBeat
BREVARD — Aaron Baker, Senior Marketing Manager at Oskar Blues Brewery, announced his candidacy for Brevard City Council on Wednesday.
Baker, 34, wrote in his announcement that he plans to bring “a fresh perspective to municipal leadership” with his “Shake it Up, Baker” campaign.
Baker has previously criticized the city for its slow progress on the multi-use Estatoe Trail, and in his statement he listed completing the trail as a top priority. He wrote that he will also work to expand infrastructure, encourage the construction of reasonably priced housing, and create a more open and transparent government.
“For a city the size of Brevard, I believe communication between city government and citizens must be better,” he wrote. “We need more voices at the table, not less.”
Baker, originally from Florida, graduated from Brevard College in 2008 and received a graduate degree from Johns Hopkins University. Before being hired at Oskar Blues, he worked at the Transylvania County Library.
Baker, the father of an 8-year-old son, owns a home in Brevard’s Tannery neighborhood. He has served on the boards of directors for the Brevard/Transylvania Chamber of Commerce and Transylvania County Tourism and is currently chair of the Transylvania Always Committee, a Tourism initiative that uses occupancy tax dollars to support outdoor recreation and resources.
The terms of two council members, Maureen Copelof and Mayor Pro Tem Mac Morrow, expire this year. Copelof, as well as Brevard businesswoman Dee Dee Perkins, have announced they will run for the post held by departing long-time mayor, Jimmy Harris. The formal filing period runs from July 2 to July 17.