Three candidates are vying to be the representative for Ward 1 on Moundsville City Council. Incumbent Judy Hunt hopes to keep her seat against two challengers, Dennis “Denny” Hall and Larry Vucelick.

Hunt, 68, was elected to represent Ward 1 in 2016 and retained the seat in the 2020 election. She said her “deep desire” to serve others and contribute to the quality of life in the city led her to seek office.

Hunt retired in 2020 after 17 years of employment with the City of Benwood. Her city duties included finance director/city clerk and office manager. She currently works two and a half days per month as a Benwood Municipal Court judge.

If elected, Hunt’s top priorities are ensuring the city’s future financial stability and transparency of city finances. Hunt said the city was currently in the process of a “huge development” with the West Virginia Checkbook, which provides citizens access to state and local government budgets, financial records and spending data. She added that shortly, citizens will be able to “view all the sources of revenue and expenditures” in the city.

She added that her eight years of service on the city council make her “distinctly” stand out from her opponents.

“I am a very positive person of integrity and have a true passion for helping the city progress forward in any way possible,” Hunt said. “I think the citizens can see all the progress throughout the entire city that I have been helping and with the improvement and enhancement of quality of life for them.”

Hunt highlighted that during her last four years on council, $3 million was budgeted for street paving, $580,000 for Home Repair grants, $1 million in American Rescue Plan funds to improve water and sewer infrastructure, $500,000 in grants for the demolition of dilapidated structures and $500,000 for a new splash pad at the swimming pool.

Hall, 74, decided to run for council as he believes “it is time for a change” in the city government.

“I’ve gone to council meetings and witnessed the present council members breaking the city charter and their little booklet,” Hall said. “I’ve been listening to the people of my ward and they’ve let me know they are tired of the stealing, the drug use and the broken sidewalks, not only in this ward but city-wide.”

Hall, a retired coal miner, identified his first priority as a council member as letting the people of Ward 1 know “they have a voice.” His second priority is turning Moundsville “back into a city people would be proud of.”

Hall said the community’s biggest challenge was the lack of trust among residents toward elected city officials.

“From knocking on doors and talking to many people, the biggest thing residents want is to be able to trust their leaders,” Hall said. “There is only one way I know we can address the challenge: being open and honest. Council members should be open to talking to people, taking phone calls and answering their emails. People should see council members while they check on things in the city like streetlights and be able to stop and just tell them ‘Hello.'”

If elected, Hall noted he would take no pay. If the city requires him to take payment, he said he would donate the money to local charities.

Vucelick, 74, decided to run for city council because he believes the current council representative does not “represent our ward very well.”

“We need to entice young couples to want to live in Moundsville since we lose citizens every year,” Vucelick said. “I will also work to get some of the city fees removed since the 1% Municipal Sales & Use Tax was enacted. I promise to fight for the citizens of Moundsville.”