By Rachel Sawicki

James ‘Jimmy’ Reynolds, 72

Work and/or education: Retired after 35 years in the Materials and Research Division for the Delaware Department of Transportation; spent the last 19 years as a material salesman.

Middletown residency: Lifelong resident, lives on Cass Street.

Q: Why are you running for Middletown City Council?

A: I love Middletown. I’ve lived here all my life. I’ve been on the City Council for 32 years, including 25 years as the vice mayor, and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished. There is still a lot more that I’d like to see done.

Q: What is your top priority?

A: Crime and drug issues. I think our police force does an excellent job of protecting the town, but there’s little issues, like going out to Walmart for shoplifting, that are keeping them occupied. If we could get more cooperation from the residents, it would help things. A lot of people won’t step up and help if they witness something, and they’re afraid of retaliation, or they just don’t want to get involved.

Q: The Middletown comprehensive plan is due for an update this year. How has the town met some of its goals from previous plans and what should be included in the update?

A: I’d rather see more permanent housing than apartments. Everybody needs a place to live, but I’d rather see people that have a stake in the community. There are going to be some annexation plans in there, so we can control the growth, too.

Q: Does Middletown need more new homes and commercial spaces or better utilization of existing structures?

A: There are some existing structures that should be renovated or upgraded. I like that we restrict the heights of buildings, so it doesn’t give that monstrosity look of cities. We need to build up some of the areas, and we need to concentrate more on the downtown area, especially the businesses.