Ironton City Council hopefuls have only a few more days to get their petitions and to join the incumbent on the ballot.

Monday, August 21, 2000

Ironton City Council hopefuls have only a few more days to get their petitions and to join the incumbent on the ballot.

With the recent resignation and replacement of former Councilman Joe Black, voters will head to the polls this November to decide who will keep the seat for the remainder of Black’s unexpired term.

Currently, the person occupying the seat is Councilman Richard Price, who was appointed in June to fill the vacancy.

Candidates for the seat must have their paperwork to the Lawrence County Board of Elections by Aug. 24.

Price says he is planning to have his name on the ballot.

"I will be running for the seat that I am currently occupying," he said. "It’s a challenge to try to make things better. I would like to be able to make a difference in the community."

His first few months on city council have been a learning experience, Price said.

If elected to complete the term, Price said his No. 1 priority for the remaining three years is to bring more jobs and new businesses to the area.

"The ultimate goal for me is to see the kids of this town go to college and come back home for a job once they graduate," he said. "I don’t want to see them move away just to support the families they start."

He also said the city needs to look at its support of the Ironton Fire Department.

"We have to take better care of the firemen," he said. "We need to build the new firehouse and get the new ladder truck housed. These men deserve better living quarters. That’s not to say they haven’t been taken care of, I just think we can do a better job of it."

Price said he also thinks city council should hold small town meetings to better serve the citizens and allow public input on city government.

"I think we need to communicate with each other a bit more to help citizens see where we are," he said. "If we could hold town meetings that would allow the citizen to provide input in city matters, I think the people of this town would be a little more supportive of what we do especially if they get the chance to see our side of what’s going on. We’re here to serve the citizens. I’m always available for anyone who wants to talk with me."