STAR CITY — On Tuesday, the town of Star City will hold its biennial election for Star City Council.
This year, the ballot consists of many experienced candidates, in addition to some new faces: all hoping to foster growth within the community.
At the top of the ballot is the vote for Star City mayor. As the only candidate running for the position, current Star City mayor, Herman Reid, will be seeking re-election for his third term.
The vote for Star City’s recorder also lists a single candidate, Steven Blinco.
A history teacher and head track coach at Morgantown High School, Blinco hopes to give back to the town in which he lives.
“Running for office to serve my community has always been a lifelong dream and goal of mine,” Blinco said.
Blinco hopes to leverage the community’s position in the upcoming term.
“Our location and history give us stature far beyond our humble borders,” Blinco said. “We will need to target niche businesses and offer something to people that they do not have anywhere else in the county. Drawing visitors to Star City is crucial for future economic success in our town.”
While the ticket is sparse for the position of mayor and recorder, the councilmember ticket lists seven nominees, old and new.
Candidates seeking re-election are Dominick Claudio, Sharon Doyle, Emma Luzader, Todd Gregg and Bob Williams.
First-time candidates are Kennedy Gilmore and Dr. Matt Koepke.
Having served on the Star City Council since 2014, Claudio said he plans to amplify the growth the community witnessed during his tenure.
Claudio said he plans to introduce new initiatives in the next term.
“My new focus … is to bring residential people back to Star City. There are a lot of new, young professionals living in [the] area,” Claudio said.
Gregg agreed that re-election would allow him to carry out programs that have laid the foundation for the town’s growth.
“When you look back a few years, the town, financially, was in the red,” Gregg said. “Now we are in the black, and we are always looking for new businesses.”
Doyle held multiple terms in Star City Council since 1992 and said reelection would allow her to bolster the growth of the community.
Doyle said her position as a council member will allow her to continue her mission of service.
“When you run for this type of service, you have an obligation to the citizens of the town,” Doyle said. “You have to be there for the community to do what is best for the community.”
First-time candidate Gilmore said he plans to work with current council members to introduce future business opportunities.
“It’s going to bring more attention to the neighborhood and drive the property values up,” Gilmore said.
Gilmore also said this growth will create an exciting environment for residents.
“The neighborhood is walkable area, and it will give residents things to walk to,” Gilmore said.
