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EAST LIVERPOOL - Bobby Smith, 64, a graduate of East Liverpool High School and retired East Liverpool firefighter, is one of three candidates running for the East Liverpool in the Nov. 7 General Election.
After serving as a firefighter for 27 years and about five years as union president, Smith retired about five years ago and took a position with the East Liverpool Housing Department for about two years, taking care of blighted homes. He left that position and began serving on the Board of Columbiana County Memorial Park, on which he currently works as the superintendent.
"I've taken care of the people in this town and that means a lot to me, but it was never like a job," Smith said.
He owned a landscaping business for 35 years and said he did the landscaping in front of the clock tower and is in the Builder's Hall of Fame.
He lives with his wife Janie and said he doesn't know what he would do without her support, advice and calmness.
Janie Smith described himself as a face-to-face type of person that likes to solve problem, and an up-front person type of person who is not afraid to say what's on his mind.
"I've been around long enough to know that some of the problems are not going to get solved, and that's life," Smith said. "But those problems that can't get solved; I would like to make them a bit easier for everybody."
Smith said that he has worked for six mayors o er a 30-year period and feels that all of them have done some good and some bad.
The reason he gives for wanting to be mayor is to address some of his major concerns in the city, such as housing issues and the roads.
"Housing is a big concern of mine as it has been with Greg Bricker, who has done a wonderful job at that," Smith said. "The standard of living for people is a concern of mine, along with the obvious, the roads.
Smith said he also believes the city needs new businesses and new jobs for tax reasons and he would like to rebuild some of the city's departments.
"I would like to continue the reputation building of our town. Greg (Bricker) has done some of that and has been getting some business in there," Smith said. "I would like to continue some of the programs he has in place and tweak some of the ones that should have been put in place."
Smith also said he has concerns with the issues in the city's water and street departments and would like to make them stronger.
If elected, Smith said his first steps as mayor would be trying to get more businesses in the east end of the city, an area he feels is ripe for new businesses as well as continuing to bring new ones downtown.
He also plans to bring the drug task force back. This is important to him, as he lost his son last year due to a fentanyl overdose. He said he has already spoken to the task force and bringing them back is an absolute must and will be a big part of his administration.
He also wants to expand First Fridays.
While he says he can't name the person he plans to put in the safety/service director's position if elected, he said the person is a lifelong resident of the city with grant writing abilities.
"Being union president, I got a real good taste of politics," Smith said. "I'm excited. We'll see what happens. I just want to change some people's lives that might have been overlooked at times. I'm all about changing people's lives."
Smith is running as an independent against Independent Shawn McKinnon and Democrat Darlene Kinsey.
kgarabrandt@mojonews.com