BECKLEY, WV (WOAY) – A local business owner and accountant is running to be Beckley’s next mayor.
Tony Martin owns Publicity, works at TR Tax, is a landlord and is also a volunteer firefighter for Bradley-Prosperity.
He wants to see a more open city government as he hopes to utilize the community channel to broadcast more events and city meetings. He also wants young people to be involved with the channel to gain experience and learn more about city government.
He says the only connection right now between city government and the citizens is a “thirty minute meeting every two weeks.” He wants that to change and would give each council member a small budget to host events in their wards to connect with the people as he feels that is the only way to know the issues.
“The focus is on listening to residents, creating that more open and accessible government and fostering our neighborhoods, so in order to really and truly attract new jobs and create new opportunities for our young people, we have to make Beckley a place where people desire to live, and I think that begins with strengthening where we live.”
He also wants the city to stop tearing down some of the dilapidated house and buildings and instead fix and rebuild and possibly use them as homes as a marketing tool to recruit city employees.
This is a non-partisan election and he will be facing off against Danielle Stewart, Jim Wills and incumbent Rob Rappold.
