Three Minutes on a Park Bench With: Josh Turiel

If you've lived in Salem for any length of time, chances are you've run into Ward 5 Councillor Josh Turiel somewhere — at City Hall, on the evening news, or just around downtown Salem.

We caught up with Josh recently for our new virtual Patch Park Bench column. 

Patch: What's your morning routine? 

Josh: My day job is running an IT company based out of Salem. So after helping to get our son to school, I usually do my remote support work for whatever clients need it before going out on the road to visit customers. I've been known to stop in at Ziggy's or Coffee Time for a Donut and coffee on the way

P: What do you do for a living? And what's the best thing about your job?

J: I run computer support services for a lot of small and medium companies. The hours are pretty flexible, so it lets me spend a lot of time with my family and still be able to do my work for the city effectively.

P: What's the hardest?

J: Some days there are a lot big issues that run up all at once. In fact, one of those is going on as I write this. Fortunately, this is a nice diversion for a few minutes!

P: How long have you lived in Salem? 

J: Nearly 24 years. My wife and I moved to Salem in the winter of 1990.

P: What's your favorite thing about living here?

J: The community - and the way so many people here are accepting and want to really matter. And there's so many different, distinct neighborhoods that there's something for everyone!

P: If you had to arrange a secret meeting here, where would you have it?

J: I can't give away all my secrets!

P: Tell us something about yourself that most of your neighbors don't know.

J: Hmm. Living as a public official, even a minor one, most things are known. Probably a lot of people either don't know or don't remember that I wore glasses until 1999. Really strong ones, too.

P: When you want a really indulgent snack here, where do you go and what do you get?

J: In the fall, I go for an apple tart at A&J King. Most of the rest of the time, a Scary Uncle Sully burger at the Shanty is my biggest vice.

P: What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given?

J: Follow your own compass. It's usually right. And don't spend all your time worrying about what everyone thinks. Do what you think is best, and move forward. Works for me both in life and in politics.

P: What are you doing after this interview?

J: Heading out to a client to move a server, and then meet a friend at another client's office about setting up social media promotions for them.

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Nominate someone from your community for the Patch Park Bench interview. Send suggestions to owen.boss@patch.com.