“I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to the citizens of Reidsville and particularly those who live in Ward 2, where I am running for the open city council seat. My name is Brian Nerzig, and I moved to Reidsville in 2021 during the Pandemic with my wife, Kimberley.
“Both my wife and I immediately started working on getting involved with the community and the city government upon our arrival. If you have been to a council meeting at any time over the past three years, then you probably know who I am, as I have spoken at quite a few regarding issues that are important to the citizens of Reidsville. Last year, when the city council attempted to raise our property taxes by 96 percent, I was at the forefront of the opposition to this along with our current mayor, Vickie Nail. Vickie and I worked together to understand what was going on and to keep the people of Reidsville informed. Through the work that we did together, we were able to get the tax increase voted down and Vickie elected as our new mayor.
“In 2022, when there were elements of the city council going rogue and passing policies that were in direct violation of our city charter, my wife and I filed an ethics complaint against members of the city council. This complaint caused the city council to reinstitute an Ethics Committee, which had been mandated in our charter but allowed to lapse. With this Ethics Committee back in place, city officials now need to think twice about the consequences of their actions. If you elect me to this seat, I promise you that I will be fair and ethical in my actions and that I will hold to the charter of the city in my decision making. I also promise that I will work with the mayor and council to continue to improve the conditions of the city both financially and aesthetically.
“I am a member of the Reidsville Lions Club and the Vidalia\Lyons Moose Lodge and was named as the Moose of the Year for my charity work this past year.
“While I was not born and raised in Reidsville, I do share a lot of commonality in my upbringing. I was born on the Great Lakes Naval Base, where my father was stationed as a petty officer in the US Navy. When he retired from active service, my father became a tire salesman and my mother a secretary for the local police department. They instilled in me a sense of ethics and pride in country and community. I was a very good student in high school and earned the grades that allowed me to go away to college, where I received bachelor’s degrees in public management and computer information systems as well as a master’s degree in business administration. Being raised in the middle class, I paid my way through school by working multiple jobs and taking out school loans that I am still paying off today (and no, the government is not paying those loans off for me).
“After graduating from college, I started a career in Healthcare Technology that has lasted for 30+ years. I was married to my first wife for 18 years before she passed away due to an undiagnosed heart condition. I had three children (Brian Jr., Alejandra, and Kyle) with her, who are now all adults with two working in restaurant management and one as an auto mechanic. I met my current wife, Kimberley, who chairs the Downtown Development Authority, 12 years ago, and we will be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary in April. Besides my three natural children, I have a stepdaughter (Felicia) and granddaughter (Anaya), in a blended family that spans multiple racial and cultural identities.
“I will be coming around Ward 2 over the next few months to try and meet more of you and answer any questions that you have of me. I will also continue to attend city council meetings; so, if you come by, please say hello. I hope that you will vote for me, and I appreciate the time you have given me by reading this article.
Brian Nerzig
