Trader And Wright Vie For Second Ward Seat
In Paden City two are seeking to represent the Second Ward as councilman: Thomas E. Trader Sr. and Richard Wright Jr.
(Editor’s note: The Wetzel County sent questionnaires to candidates in all municipal races. The responses we received follow.)
Trader grew up in Colliers, W.Va. He was a fireman at the Colliers Volunteer Fire Department for five years. He graduated from Brooke High School in 1979 and then moved to Paden City and married Doris.
They have been married for 30 years and are the parents of two sons, one of which was in the 101st Airborne for four years and served in Iraq for a year. They are also the grandparents of a granddaughter and a grandson.
Trader works at Wissmach glass in Paden City for 25 years and is now employed at Wal-Mart in New Martinsville for the past four years in the receiving department.
He was a volunteer at the Paden City Emergency Squad for 11 years and is now an honorary member. He was president, vice president, and on the board of directors as well as several committees on the emergency squad. He also drove the ambulance for the Sistersville General Hospital Emergency Squad.
Richard Wright Jr. has lived in Paden City for 45 years. His wife Diann and he both graduated from Paden City High School. Now their son Ricky is graduating in June from PCHS. Most all of their family lives in town.
Wright worked with the kids in sports for several years in Paden City. He is still working at the park, helping to maintain the fields, fixing the drags, and he helped in the building of the concession stands.
He is a member of the United States Steelworkers Union and now have a CDL license and drive for Agland Co-Op out of Clarington.
If you were given $50,000 to spend on the city in any manner you wish, what would you do with it and why?
Trader: I would sit down with the other council members and get suggestions on how to spend the money.
The way our economy is now, $50,000 would not go far. Some of our streets are very bad and in need of paving and there are other streets that do not have storm sewers and the water lays on the street in front of the citizens’ houses. Also, there are several properties in town that their basements are being flooded because of the way some storm sewers are running.
This destroys peoples’ properties and that money would really help fix these problems and not take away from the rest of the revenue the city has. We are here for the people and that is who we should be helping.
Wright: Wow, $50,000 sounds like a lot of money, but I know it couldn’t do everything that needs done. I would like to start at the park, fix the pool, new bleaches at the high school field, new fences at the ball fields, more lights at the park, try to light the walking trail so we can walk later at night during the summer, fix streets and clean them, especially the highway, maybe some new Christmas lights and flags for the highway.
Name one city issue you would like to see addressed and how specifically you would work to rectify it.
Trader: The needs of our children and their families are top priority. That is why we need to keep Paden City High School in town. PCHS is the future of our town for generations to come. I had two children that went to Paden City Elementary and Paden City High School and they received a quality education.
That is one reason I moved to Paden City 30 years ago. I went to a school that had 1,200 students. Children get recognized better in a smaller school than a big consolidated school.
I would work with Paden City Council and the citizens of Paden City to try keep our school.
Wright: There are several issues I would like to see addressed. Trying to save our high school would have to take a priority with me. Although I no longer have a child in our schools, I know the importance of having a school in our town. Without it we would have no new jobs come to our town, our homes would not be worth near as much, and people would move away, taking revenue with them. I don’t know what I could do to help, but I would help anyone who fights for our kids.
What makes you the best person for this job?
Trader: I will work with the Paden City Council and work for the citizens of Paden City. No matter what job I have ever done, I have always tried to do my best at it. I like helping others and if I get elected, I would like the opportunity to prove what I can do for the town.
Wright: I’m not as experienced as other past council members, but I can learn. I know that I would work hard, listen, and make decision that I thought were best for the citizens of Paden City. I would like to see Paden City regain its pride and beauty.
I know that our children need us. We need to come together, to stand up together, and work for what we want. Together we can do it.