By MADDY VITALE
Fourth Ward City Councilman Bob Barr turned in his nominating petitions to City Clerk Melissa Rasner on Friday.
Barr, 38, is seeking his second four-year term in the May municipal election. He is running unopposed.
Over the four years of serving on Council, Barr said he has accomplished a lot, but there is still a lot he wants to do. He also noted that working well with Mayor Jay Gillian and Council and with the support of state officials, the city has been able to achieve a lot of things to help the residents.
“I am most proud of the fact we held the taxes stable. Our back bay dredging program is a model across the state and our beach replenishment program is going well thanks to Congressman (Jeff) Van Drew and our mayor,” Barr noted.
Barr pointed out that there have been a multitude of successful, ongoing projects in his ward.
“Millions of dollars have been spent in the Fourth Ward on capital improvements,” he said.
There is still a lot he wants to do, including continuing his Fourth Ward meetings on Saturdays. The meetings allow residents to discuss their concerns and talk about the issues affecting the Fourth Ward.
His plans for the next four years are in line with what he and the Council are already doing.
“We have to continue to keep our property taxes stable and hold the line on that. We have to work with our congressman and state people and make sure beach replenishment continues, along with the back bay dredging program,” Barr said.
Some projects he is hoping to get underway during his next term are a number of capital projects, Barr said.
They include raising buildings in areas of town and finishing up drainage projects at 35th and 36th streets for flood protection.
“These things take time,” he said.
Barr, who was born with cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, has worked with the mayor on longer mobility mats on the beaches and making the entire community more accessible.
“I think from the citywide perspective the mayor has made the city more accessible in the downtown and the beaches. Seeing me all of the time, I think it makes people more aware,” Barr said.
He continued, “What we have done so far is something I am very proud of. But there is more work to be done.”
Barr noted that although he is running unopposed, he will still show the community there are many reasons why he is not taking his next term on Council for granted.
“Even though I am unopposed, I will still work to know and understand what people want and not take anything for granted,” he said. “We will campaign like we are running against something.”
On Friday at 4 p.m., all candidates are asked to go to City Hall where they will draw from a hat to determine their ballot position.
