CHARLESTON, W.Va. — There’s a new candidate in the 2018 race for mayor of Charleston.
J.B. Akers, Charleston City Clerk and local attorney, announced his run Monday at the Second Avenue Neighborhood Center on the city’s West Side.
Akers is the only Republican candidate currently in the race for mayor. Democrats Amy Shuler Goodwin, former state Tourism Commissioner, and Andy Richardson, Charleston City Councilman-At-Large will face off in the Primary Election in May. Andy Backus is also running for mayor as an Independent.
While job creation sits at the top of Akers’ to-do list, he said he wants to focus on regionalizing the city’s economy from Charleston to Huntington.
“Obviously, I want to put Charleston first and I always will, but there’s no reason why we should’ve be able to work together to make things better on a regional perspective. When you look at communities that are thriving across this country, you don’t focus nearly on one city at a time. You work on regional solutions,” Akers told a crowd of supporters during Monday’s event.
Several issues involving the homeless community have grown over the several years, according to city police. Police arrested more than 20 people within 48 hours last week in connection with various property crimes. The suspects are from out-of-state and have been living on the streets of Charleston.
Akers said it’s a problem that needs to be addressed immediately.
“I want to draw this clear line in the sand between the folks who are local, who are in transition, who are working poor, folks who really can’t help themselves, some of the mentally and physically disabled who are locals — I want to help those folks. I want those services to stay strong for them, but the folks who are coming here to take advantage of our city and who are taking our services and stealing from us — that’s going to end,” he said.
Being the City Clerk since August 2015, Akers said he knows how city government works. He said getting to know both the residents and city employees is an important part of the process.
“I’ve sat in rooms with them and heard what their concerns are, so just as much as the voters are important component of this campaign, the most important component, the city workers are also extremely important because you have to know how to manage the departments,” Akers said.
Akers owns the Akers Law Offices and practices personal injury. He’s married to Maryclaire Akers, assistant prosecutor of Kanawha County. They have three children.
The next mayor will replace Mayor Danny Jones who has served in the role since 2003. Jones’ term runs through January 2019.
The Primary Election is in May 2018.