CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — The upcoming Clarksburg City Council elections will feature ten candidates vying for four spots for the municipality’s governing body.
This includes three incumbents–Jim Malfregot, Ryan Kennedy, and Robert Caplan. The seven challengers include Frank L. Ferrari, Thomas R. Saunders, Dan Thompson, Chuck Arnett, John “Lopie” Lopez, former Clarksburg Police Chief Marshall H. Goff, and former City Councilwoman and Clarksburg Mayor Margaret Bailey.
The AJR News Network is attempting to interview each candidate on “The Gary Bowden Show,” which can be heard Monday through Friday at 9:06 each morning on 103.3-FM, 93.5-FM, 95.7-FM, and right here at wajr.com.
Incumbent Robert Caplan, running for his second full-term (he was appointed to fill the final six months of Jim Hunt’s term in 2013), joined the show Wednesday morning to kick off the series.
“Clarksburg, as everybody knows, is the county seat of Harrison County,” Caplan said. “And I’ve always felt that Clarksburg has to be strong, and things just have to take place in the downtown in order for Clarksburg to do well.”
Caplan is a Clarksburg native who has spent most of his life in the area and working for the family business, Kaplan’s Jewelers in Clarksburg. He moved away for ten years, during which time he attained his college degree and served in the U.S. Military.
Caplan discussed a number of issues on Wednesday’s show, but primarily talked about economic development and the opioid crisis–two issues that he believes are connected.
“I’m a big believer in a project that started on Monticello Avenue,” he said. “It’s called the M.O.R.E. Project, which encompasses from Second Street all the way to Clay and streets in between–of which the city has been a big help in cleaning out and hauling away, whether it be old refrigerators, trash, beautification.”
Caplan wants to revitalize downtown Clarksburg, and he believes the Robinson Grand Performing Arts Center is the first step in that process. Next, he believes neighborhood beautification and revitalization is critical to helping residents take pride in their city. He believes these efforts are part of how municipalities can assist the wider state and federal efforts to combat drug use and trade.
“The City of Clarksburg is made up of neighborhoods as a lot of cities across the country are,” Caplan said. “If we can do this neighborhood by neighborhood, we can get a handle on the drug situation and make it work for the city.”
“I believe that once we get people out, houses clean, flowers planted, then we can attack drugs from the neighborhood side. With law enforcement, neighborhoods being cleaned up, people being out and about, I think we’ve got a handle on it.”
Additionally, Caplan said he wants to see even greater cooperation between city, county, state, and federal law enforcement to move forward in reducing the presence of illicit drugs in Clarksburg.
Election Day is June 6.
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