When Athens Mayor Paul Wiehl, 61, steps down from office at the end of 2016, a man more than 40 years his junior could take his place.
Andrew Looker, an Ohio University junior studying communication studies, announced Tuesday he would be running for mayor on the Republican ticket.
Looker said he sees things in Athens that aren’t “good as they should be right now.”
“For the time that I have lived here, I have come to love the City of Athens so much that I want to improve it,” Looker said.
Projects involving infrastructure improvements and moving Athens toward renewable energy are at the top of Looker's list.
“Mayor Wiehl has done an excellent job,” Looker said. “However I feel that he does not go far enough. Some of the things, I feel need to be redirected or revised.”
Wiehl makes $77,376 annually.
Looker said currently, he does not have a plan for his campaign yet, but it “will come when or if more people enter the race.”
On December 1, Councilman Steve Patterson, D-at large, announced he would also be running for mayor in the upcoming elections.
Patterson, a resident of Athens for 17 years, has served two terms on City Council, and maintains that might come to his advantage.
“It (experience) does play a role, especially with Athens votership,” Patterson said. “Their eye is going to be on that.”
Wiehl agreed prior experience often helps a candidate once he or she makes it into office.
“It’s hard to run a city,” Wiehl said. “Coming on cold is difficult.”
Looker, though, doesn’t let that slow him down.
“While some people flaunt their record as a politician, I am one of the people just like you,” Looker said in a news release.
Wiehl said Looker’s role as a student could assist him in his campaign.
“It depends on how motivated the students are,” Wiehl said. “He’ll get the student vote — if they vote.”
In Athens, student voting rates are notoriously low. In the seven precincts where on-campus students can report, about 2.5 percent of the roughly 6,600 registered voters cast ballots in November’s elections, according to a previous Post report.
Looker plans to continue as a full-time student if elected mayor, and maintains that filling the two roles wouldn’t be very challenging.
“It’s very simple,” Looker said. “I work a full time job currently and take a full class load so I see no reason as to why I cannot be mayor and still balance school.”
Looker is currently employed at the Wal-Mart on East State Street.
After performing the daily duties of mayor since 2008, Wiehl is skeptical.
“I don’t think he stands a chance there,” Wiehl said.
Looker maintains he is ready to bring change to the table while balancing student life and a government role.
“Competition is good,” Patterson said. “Challenge is good.”
@emilybohatch
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