JAMESTOWN — The mayor of Jamestown is facing a challenger in his bid for re-election. Jeff Tudor will face off with incumbent Jerrod Pickens in the mayoral race Nov. 3.
Pickens said his experience with the Greene County highway department and communication with surrounding municipalities and organizations makes make the right candidate.
He said he decisions he makes are not self-serving.
“Nothing I do is for self-gratification but for the betterment of the community where I was raised and for my family,” Pickens said. “I do not play political games and I will not tell you what you want to hear, however I will tell you what we can do.”
Infrastructure is a major priority for the village as is economic growth, Pickens said.
“Our streets are in need of repair and or replacement,” he said. “Public safety is always a concern and with failing asphalt and street deterioration this would be my first objective. Currently we now have a road program in progress that is and will be repairing our streets along with some local grant monies involved.”
Pickens said the passage of a street levy “has been a huge step” in bringing Jamestown back to life.
Tudor has served on the village council the last four years, including president the last year. He also spearheaded the creation of the Jamestown Park Board to help rebuild the community park.
Tudor said he has attended council meetings since the mid-1990s and feels he is the right candidate because of progress he has sparked.
“All that is needed to decide the best candidate this November third is to look around out town and ask the question, ‘What has improved in Jamestown in the past four years that I didn’t have a helping hand in?’ “
If elected Tudor said he will open the lines of communication and stress collaboration.
“We have no team,” he said. “I will begin team building day one. I will be in the office Monday through Friday. I will open communications beginning with local residents with a town hall meeting in order to communicate the wants and needs of our community.”
Tudor said he also wants to begin work on the town’s infrastructure, specifically streets downtown.
