Former West Virginia Division of Tourism commissioner Amy Shuler Goodwin announced Thursday afternoon that she's running for mayor of Charleston in the city's 2018 election.
Goodwin, a Democrat, is the wife of former U.S. Attorney and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Booth Goodwin.
She announced her candidacy during a news conference at the East End Community Park.
Goodwin, who has never run for public office, said the city has made progress in recent years to make it more attractive to residents and visitors, but she added that more needs to be done as the capital city grapples with continuing population loss.
"The Civic Center is wonderful; if you know anything about tourism marketing, it's the best thing we could have in this city," she said. "But we can't stop there."
With her experience from the Division of Tourism, Goodwin said, she knows how to help market Charleston on statewide and national levels.
She outlined a few shortcomings in Charleston and around the state that future generations simply won't accept, such as poor high-speed internet service.
"Gigabit internet service is long overdue," Goodwin said. "We act like it's a luxury, but it's not; it's like oxygen."
Some of her initiatives are reminiscent of those encouraged by the Division of Tourism, but Goodwin pointed out that such improvements would produce benefits that go far beyond tourism.
"I know that until we truly utilize our river, and understand that if you want somebody to put a kayak in the river, [we] have to make sure they know they can have a glass of water from that river," she said, which was met with applause from a crowd of about 100 people.
"We boast about being the best outdoor state in the country, but we don't make our communities bikable and walkable, and we don't connect them," Goodwin said. "It's not just a tourism thing, by the way. [It's] a health, a community thing, and that is our way out of poverty for many families who need to get to work and need to connect with other people."
Goodwin said it's time to start looking to future generations for ideas and solutions.
"We're losing thousands of people every year, and the reflection we're giving is bleak," she said. "We have to not only ask [young people] what they want, we have to give them a seat at the table."
Goodwin also contended that the city can't move forward if it gives the impression of disenfranchising certain demographics.
"Until we stop the hate talk that we veil as some type of straight talk, we'll never get to first base," she said. "We have to get back to a place where community means something, where we actually know our neighbors."
Although she will run as a Democrat, Goodwin said she thinks the mayoral race should be nonpartisan.
"Policy is important, because city government has nothing to do with politics," she said. "It doesn't matter if you're a Democrat or a Republican; you still need services, and so that's what city government should be doing."
Goodwin is the first candidate to formally announce a run for mayor of Charleston. The May 2018 primary is more than a year away.
"My question would be, why would I wait? I know this is something I want to do, and a job I can do," she said when asked why she announced her campaign so early.
Booth Goodwin is representing several paving companies being sued by Charleston and other cities in an antitrust lawsuit.
When asked about a potential conflict of interest if that case is still ongoing by the November 2018 election, Goodwin said, "I can't talk about something that's going to happen two years from now."
Current Mayor Danny Jones, now serving his fourth and final term, published a Facebook post in November encouraging people to consider supporting Charleston City Clerk JB Akers for mayor in 2018.
When reached by phone Thursday, Akers, a Republican, said he's still considering a mayoral run and isn't making any public announcements yet.
"I look forward to seeing specific ideas she has for the city," Akers said, adding that next year's race is "going to be a crowded field."
There's been talk among city officials that Councilman-at-large Andy Richardson may also throw his hat into the ring.
Richardson said he's currently focusing on serving on council.
"I really don't think people are interested right now in an election that's 15 months [away]," he said. "As I decide on how I can best serve my city, I'll have an announcement on my own time."
Former West Virginia Delegate Nancy Guthrie, a Democrat, also said Thursday that she's looking into the possibility of running for mayor but hasn't made a decision yet.
Before Goodwin was selected to head the Division of Tourism, she worked as communications director for Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin from 2012 to 2014. Previously, she was the CEO of Goodwin Group LLC, a public relations firm she opened in 2004.
She also was a spokeswoman for the city of Charleston under Mayor Kemp Melton in the mid-1990s.
The current mayoral term is three-and-a-half years, instead of the usual four, as city elections now will coincide with congressional races.
Reach Elaina Sauber at elaina.sauber@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-3051 or follow @ElainaSauber on Twitter.