Aberdeen mayoral election: Candidate Dwight Stevens

Source: WCBI TV | Your News Leader
Author: Allie Martin

ABERDEEN, Miss. (WCBI) - Dwight Stevens moved to Aberdeen in 1981 and three years later, opened his business, Stevens Auction Company.

Stevens said his quest for mayor began after he looked for a candidate to support.

"I prayed about somebody running for office who would have the city's heart in mind, someone who is vested here, stop from running all our property tax up, someone who owns property and therefore they would be more sympathetic to that, there was no one to show up, one of my neighbors said, 'you're the one that needs to run,' and I said, maybe you're right," Stevens said.

Stevens believes his experience running a business known for dealing in high-end, hard-to-find antiques, has prepared him for the mayor's position.

"In a city like this, we operate off about six and a half million dollars, I understand that my gross is more than that many years, I know how to handle that kind of money and understand the budget, you set those things and stay in that, we want to create more money and seek more grants and put more money in our budget," he said.

Stevens is also known for his work restoring old downtown storefronts and homes. He started the nonprofit, "Save Aberdeen Landmarks" to preserve historic buildings and residences.

"We started with M and O Railroad Depot, it was almost on the ground, it was a project when we mentioned to archives and history, they jumped on board, helped us, then we had Kimmel Bakery Building, it collapsed, the owner said we will give it to you, went to bank signed a note, we built it back, now we have three apartments we rent and two businesses downstairs," Stevens said.

As mayor, Stevens says he would continue to promote downtown revitalization, and also he would work to recruit industry.

"It is a possibility to get a new factory, new plant, something people are looking for, a well-organized town. We have an industrial park with nothing in it, and we need to seek, more income through taxes, I'd like to see our city grow, and city edge out a little bit, not sure how popular that would be, but our city needs to grow," he said.

Stevens says he will work hard for every vote, through election day.

Polls are open Tuesday from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Since there is no Republican in the mayor's race, whoever wins Tuesday will be the next mayor of Aberdeen.