Chattanooga City Councilman Russell Gilbert said he will formally announce his candidacy for mayor at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the lobby of the City Council building located at 1000 Lindsay St.
Councilman Gilbert is currently serving his fourth term on Chattanooga’s City Council and he said he believes it is time to expand his impact. “Serving the 5th district community has been my honor. I have consistently and diligently worked for positive change in my community and beyond and I believe it is now time for me to step forward and seek the office of mayor of Chattanooga.
"My strong roots in our city have deeply connected me with the community. I am bringing fresh ideas and positive solutions for all of our citizens. I have worked and raised my family here my entire life and my experience as an elected four term official has allowed me to hear the concerns of our city. My service to the public has equipped me with the knowledge and experience I will draw from to implement ways to work together; by creating an environment of tolerance and inclusion for all people.”
Councilman Gilbert has been a member of the governing body for over 11 years. While in office, he said he "has worked hard for positive change and advocated for equality and inclusiveness. My goal is to be instrumental in helping our city to continue to thrive and prepare for the future. I understand the issues that face our city. I will focus my efforts on four very important key issues that will strengthen and unite our city: safety, economic growth, fair housing, and Infrastructure.”
His campaign said, "Councilman Gilbert has served as chairperson of the Human Resources Committee. He has advocated and fought for the implementation of a disparity study for the city of Chattanooga and has fought to restrict predatory lending. Councilman Gilbert has led revitalization projects for our parks and recreations centers and he has improved numerous road conditions and implemented side-walks for better connectivity and access for our citizens."