Plusquellic seeks re-election as mayor
By Stephanie Kist
DOWNTOWN AKRON — With the future generation of Akron as a backdrop, Mayor Don Plusquellic announced Jan. 4 he will seek re-election this year.
Plusquellic made the announcement one day after the 20th anniversary of his inauguration as mayor. He was surrounded by city officials and Akron City Council members, supporters and Akron Public Schools officials and board members as he spoke for about 15 minutes at the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
On the hall’s lower level behind him, several youngsters continued their activities as he spoke.
Plusquellic said he wasn’t
sure 20 years ago that mayor of Akron was the job for
him, but he was confident. He said he was bringing the
same confidence to campaign for a sixth term.
There was speculation that Plusquellic
would run for Summit County executive or a statewide
office, but his announcement made it clear he intends
to continue to serve Akron.
“I passed up some great
opportunities,” he said. “The No. 1 reason
is because I love this
community. I love this city. I’ve never wanted
to live anywhere else. I never really wanted to do anything
else.”
Plusquellic, 57, said he was
made aware after his father’s recent death and
his own heart surgery three years ago that “life
is short.”
However, when he weighed the
decision of running again, he knew he was not ready
for retirement.
“That’s not the way
I wanted to spend the rest
of my days and hours and minutes on this earth,”
he said. “I wanted to spend it with you to make
this a better community.”
Plusquellic lauded the city leaders
he’s worked with over the years “to make
this a better city than it was 20 years ago.”
Plusquellic said there’s
been a real effort to change Akron’s image and
market the community to bring in new businesses.
The Summit County Board of Elections’
filing deadline to run
for mayor of Akron is June 28. So far, no one has made
a public declaration of candidacy, but City Councilman
Michael Williams (D-at large), of West Akron, said he’s
considering challenging Plusquellic.
He said Jan. 8 he is crunching
some numbers, in conversation with family and friends
and political confidants, and in prayer about the decision.
“It’s definitely
something that I want to do, but the question is, is
this the right time?”
he said.
He said he’s encouraged
by his base of support, but he will choose to run at
the right time, when he has confidence he will be successful.
“That’s the only
way I want to do this,” he said.
Plusquellic became mayor of Akron
in 1987 after three years as president of City Council
and 13 years as a Council member.
During his tenure as the longest-serving
Akron mayor, Plusquellic was named
“Municipal Leader of the Year” by American
City & County Magazine, was featured in a front-page
Wall Street Journal article about mayoral leadership
in 2000, and served as president of the United States
Conference of Mayors.
Plusquellic, an Akron native,
attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering
and graduated from Bowling Green State University School
of Business. He earned his juris doctor degree from
The University of Akron School of Law.
He has two children and two grandchildren.
Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic
Photo: Bruce Ford/City
of Akron
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