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PARKERSBURG -- District 4 is the only Parkersburg City Council race with contested Democratic and Republican primaries on May 14.
The winners will face off for the seat in November's general election.
Councilwoman Wendy Tuck is completing her first term in office.
"I'm not finished. There's a lot more to do," she said.
Tuck, a Democrat, said her strength is in bringing together government, businesses and nonprofits to tackle issues. She also promotes collaboration among residents, noting there have been multiple neighborhood associations established over the last three-and-a-half years.
One of those is D4 Community Action, a nonprofit aimed at organizing and funding activities for the betterment of the district. Tuck has also worked with various stakeholders to address housing and addiction issues, hold cleanups and discuss solutions to stormwater and flooding problems.
"It's a real can-do attitude," she said. "People are going to fix things and do things. I like it when the city and neighborhood work together to get things done."
Tuck said she puts a lot of work into informing residents, sending out a newsletter three to four times a year and having weekly "office hours" at the Broadway Sandwich Shop and The Root Beer Shack.
"Above all, I just believe government should be responsive to people," she said.
Challenging Tuck in the Democratic primary is David Atkinson, who said he grew up in District 4, raised by a single mother who instilled in him the values he carries today. He said he understands the challenges residents face and sees running for the council seat as a way to honor her.
Getting elected would mean there is "someone present at the table with a strong background of bringing people together and advocating for people," Atkinson said.
Issues he would like to address include blighted properties and repairing sidewalks and retaining walls.
"I'd like to see some more focus on 13th Street as it is kind of the main segue into downtown Parkersburg," Atkinson said. Downtown is looking good and it should "look equally as nice driving there."
Atkinson said he's worked with families to secure funding through city housing programs for down payment assistance and home repairs. He's also served on the board of directors for the Parkersburg Area Association of Realtors and raised money for multiple nonprofits as part of their community service committee.
In the Republican primary, Nikki Lawson is running for council in the district where she has lived for a total of 32 years, interrupted by 10 years out of state.
"The change that I had seen in the district, I was very shocked," she said. "I want it to get cleaned up and back to what I remember when I was young."
Her concerns include blighted and run-down homes, particularly vacant structures, along with drug issues and homelessness.
Lawson said she'd like to see more support for the police, fire and code enforcement departments. She said she realizes people get upset about code issues not being addressed but "they can only do so much with the manpower they have and the funding that they have."
As a council member, Lawson said she would work to build a rapport with the city's departments in hopes of getting more done in the district. She also wants to work with residents to make the district a better place to live.
"It definitely is home to me, and it is personal to me," she said.
Lawson faces Patrick McCormick, who grew up in Parkersburg and has lived in District 4 about 25 years.
"Our neighborhoods just keep sliding down," he said. "District 4 really needs cleaned up, and I have a lot of good ideas to make that happen."
McCormick said he's spoken with residents frustrated because they are fixing up their property but are surrounded by dilapidated structures. He'd like to see code enforcement be more proactive, but expects that would require more workers.
"I'm not saying the code guys are doing a bad job. I think they're stretched really thin right now," McCormick said.
He said he knows people are frustrated about the impending demolition of the former McKinley Elementary School but believes the property owners are out of options and wonders if the city could have done more.
The problems facing the district and city developed over a long period of time and weren't necessarily caused by current officeholders, McCormick said.
"We need to do something before a building gets to the state where it gets torn down and taken over by the city," he said.
Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com
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Parkersburg City Council District 4
Democratic Primary
David Atkinson
* Age: 44
* Address: 1138 Swann St.
* Occupation: real estate agent
* Past offices: first run
Wendy Tuck
* Age: 71
* Address: 1020 14th St.
* Occupation: retired from West Virginia Birth to 3
* Past offices: incumbent City Council member
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Republican Primary
Nikki Lawson
* Age: 42
* Address: 1321 Andrew St.
* Occupation: salon owner and hairstylist
* Past offices: ran for council in 2005
Patrick McCormick
* Age: 56
* Address: 12 Camden Place
* Occupation: licensed insurance sales agent
* Past offices: first run, member of the city's Board of Zoning Appeals