With the May 6 primary election approaching, three Athens City Council members have decided not to seek reelection, leaving their seats open for new candidates.
The departing members include Solveig Spjeldnes, D-1st Ward; Jeff Risner, D-2nd Ward; and Micah McCarey, Councilmember at-large.
McCarey is giving up his seat to run for president of the Council, and Spjeldnes and Risner are retiring from the Council altogether.
Megan Leah Almeida, Andrew Guidarelli and Anthony Jacobs are running as Democrats for the 1st Ward Council.
Jacobs is an Ohio University alumnus with a background in construction management and electrical distribution. Currently, he is working with the city on a street beautification project.
Jacobs said if elected, he aims to focus on infrastructure improvement and protecting businesses and citizens affected by construction work.
“The biggest thing I’ve seen with the citizens around the city is folks are really getting fed up with the way that some of the construction management is happening around here,” Jacobs said. “We need greater transparency, so that’s my goal as councilman, if elected.”
Jacobs also plans to involve OU students and faculty in construction planning.
“We’ve got the university right here, and the civil engineering department … there are great minds there and we could just ask them their opinions,” Jacobs said.
John Adams Staser, a Democrat, is running unopposed to replace Risner as 2nd Ward Councilor.
Staser is a professor at OU within the Russ College of Engineering and Technology, focusing on chemical and biomolecular engineering. Staser also works within the Institute for Sustainable Energy and the Environment.
Finally, four Democratic candidates are running for three seats as councilmembers at-large. Incumbents Jessica Thomas and Beth Clodfelter are running for reelection, as well as new candidates Ari Faber and Paul Isherwood.
Faber is the acting executive director of United Campus Ministries and has previously run for the Ohio Senate.
In a debate Wednesday, March 26, Faber explained his priorities as council member would be affordable, quality housing and infrastructure investment, including better communication from the Council about upcoming construction projects.
Faber would also like to host drop-in office hours to allow citizens to voice any community concerns.
Isherwood is a former social studies teacher on the Board of Zoning Appeals. Along with Faber, Isherwood also works on the co-create housing initiative.
Isherwood said he strives to make Athens a place where developers want to build more affordable housing. He wants to start programs to support the creation of more local businesses, including a buy local program, tax credits for small businesses and a local business digital directory.
All candidates expressed their support for more affordable housing developments and local businesses.
