SOUTH POINT - After 10 years as a Fayette Township trustee, Terry Wise wants the top office in the village of South Point.

Wise, 54, has filed to run for South Point mayor. In this election, Wise will face citizen Chadd Hatfield and incumbent Bill Gaskin, mayor for 25 years.

One of Wise's chief concerns is recreational opportunities for young people in the area, or, according to him, lack thereof.

"There's nothing here at all for the kids to do," he said.

The village's pool closed down two years ago, and Wise said he would like to see it reopened. He would also like to see a recreation center built so that young people will have something to do in the evenings. He said he would like to work with the local school district to possibly keep gymnasiums open later.

To bring in new business and economic development, Wise said he would focus most of his energies on The Point, a 504-acre site on the former South Point Ethanol property that could accommodate 3,000 jobs if developed properly.

"We need jobs very, very badly," he said.

South Point's police department is another one of Wise's concerns. A three-mil levy that would have kept one full-time and two part-time police officers but raised property taxes failed in the November 2002 election. The village council later voted to keep the officers affected by the levy until the general fund was less than $80,000.

Wise said he would like to explore all avenues in getting more funding for the police department, and is certain more grants are out there so that the village will have 24-hour police protection. He said he would also like to improve other services in the village such as snow removal, and he would like to see mosquito spraying done. If any spraying has been done, he is not aware of it, he said.

One thing will stay the same if he is elected - utility rates, Wise said. Wise does not want water meters put in the village, and wants to see residents not pay any more than the $30 for water, sewer and trash that they already pay.