COURTLAND—Democrat Moses Wyche has announced his intention to seek a third four-year term on the Southampton County Board of Supervisors.

Wyche, 69, is being challenged by independent Bruce Phillips, 62, for the Capron District seat. The job pays $5,500 a year.

“I enjoy serving on the board and I’d like to see some more things accomplished,” Wyche said about his reasons for running. “We are trying to get businesses in the Turner Tract Industrial Park and hopefully we can get the tax rate lowered if we can get some businesses in there.”

He sees rising real estate taxes and the county’s $69 million debt as the most important issues facing the county.

As a supervisor, Wyche said he has opposed the development of an Outlying Landing Field for Navy fighter pilots, helped eliminate the annual requirement for farmers to file for land-use assessments and supported employee-staffed garbage dump sites, which has saved the county $3 million.

He’s also voiced concerns over farmers paying taxes on equipment used to harvest crops, and was involved with eliminating the requirement for the annual county license decals and creating an Enterprise Zone for economic development.

A native of Southampton County, Wyche is a 1961 graduate of the county school system. He worked for J.T. Barham & Co. for 47 years and has been an attendant for Engram’s Funeral Home in Courtland and Franklin for 49 years.

Wyche is a past master of Franklin Star Lodge 288 and served 22 years as a district deputy grand master in the 10th Mason District. He is also a member of the Petersburg Consistory 144 and a past patron of Antioch-Franklin Southampton Order of the Eastern Star 72.

Wyche also served as president, treasurer, assistant chief and chief of Capron Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department. He is also past president and member of the board of directors for the Capron Ruritan Club and a District Zone Director for the National Ruritan Club.

He was married for 43 years to the late Ella Hicks Wyche. They had five children together.