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EAST LIVERPOOL -- Shawn McKinnon, an economics major at Kent State University, is one of three candidates vying for the East Liverpool mayor's position in the Nov. 7 General Election.
McKinnon, who is running as an independent, is a graduate of David Anderson High School in Lisbon and has worked in the finance industry for the last four to five years. He currently works as a contract analyst for Lithia Motors.
McKinnon said his reasoning for wanting to be mayor is because he wants to build upon what the last administration started with tearing down the condemned house and trying to bring businesses back into the city.
"I really want to fix the infrastructure in the town such as the roads and the buildings and just keep building on what (current mayor Greg) Bricker had started," McKinnon said. "I have grown up here and have heard stories from my mom and grandparents about how East Liverpool used to be such a thriving community and a wonderful place to live and I feel like we have gotten away from that. I want to do anything I can do to help the city.
McKinnon has a set of 2-year-old twin boys that will be growing up in the city and he said he wants to make it a better for them.
To accomplish what he hopes to do if he were to be elected, McKinnon has already met with the Columbiana County Land Bank and has looked into ways to try to secure more funding from the state to help tear down the condemned houses so the properties can be sold to people who are willing to build houses or businesses on them.
He said hopes to work with developers and downtown building owners to attract more businesses and work with the people in the community.
McKinnon said that his economics education and finance background make him good with numbers and give him an understanding of how communities and their finances work. He said he believes that having worked in the finance industry has helped him become adept with customer service and better communicate with people.
He also said he believes that transparency is huge and that while the prior administration did an OK job, he wants to be a little more open with the residents of East Liverpool and keep people informed through social media and the newspaper about what is going on.
"In general, I kind of want to run with an open-door policy, if anybody in the city has ideas or input, I want to hear from everybody," McKinnon said. "I'm all for the city and I want to make the city a better place and I feel that as mayor I could do a good job and build upon and work with council and administration like the prior administration and prior councils have done. "
kgarabrandt@mojonews.com