Trending
PARKERSBURG - With Parkersburg City Councilman Zach Stanley not seeking a third term, District 8 will have a new representative in January.
Andrew Borkowski and Sharon Maloney are seeking the Republican nomination in the May 14 primary, with the winner to face Democrat Trish Pritchard in November's general election.
Borkowski decided to throw his hat in the ring after learning Stanley, a fellow Republican, would not be running.
"I've always had an interest in politics," he said. "I have a deep love for the City of Parkersburg.
"I have a 6-year-old son, and I want to do all I can to make Parkersburg a great place for him to grow up."
Borkowski said he has "strong conservative values" and an ability to connect with people of different backgrounds.
"I'm also willing to rely on people who have experiences I may not have ... to use those to come up with a solution," he said. "What can we do to make the city better, regardless of ... political affiliation?"
Borkowski said a council member should be the voice of the residents and he wants to understand what constituents want and use those opinions and ideas to help him choose the best way to vote on issues. As a council member, he said he wants to focus on essential services and promoting reasons for people to live and work in Parkersburg.
Declining to give her age, Maloney cited President Ronald Reagan's line: "I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience."
She served a term on council in the '90s before moving out of the city for a time.
Maloney said she offers experience, leadership and integrity, citing her work as a founder of the Move Against Saddam Hussein group that assisted veterans during Operation Desert Storm. For that, she received various honors, including being named Citizen of the Year by the local Fraternal Order of Police.
"I want the people that I represent to know me and feel like they can call me," Maloney said.
Her top concerns are drugs, crime and homelessness. Maloney said she believes the administration is "doing a great job" addressing them "but I think we can continue to improve in these areas."
Someone who comes to Parkersburg for addiction treatment but doesn't complete the program shouldn't stay here, Maloney said.
"The community sends them here, so they should be responsible to come and get them," she said.
Another priority for Maloney is providing more activities for youth.