Wyrick cited his willingness to listen and work full-time as why he should be elected. If elected, he said he will quit his truck-driving job.

“I will be a full-time commissioner,” Wyrick said. “I will be out and about daily, 24-seven.”

Commerce mayor

In Commerce, two men are vying for the post.

Kenneth L. Leggett Jr. and Michael Hart will square off in the July 29 election.

The unexpired term of Duboise will end in 2011. The position pays $100 a month.

Leggett, 56, is a maintenance worker in the Ottawa County Courthouse. He retired from a 20-year career in the National Guard in 2002.

The lifelong Commerce resident also served on the council from 1999 to 2005, including a 10-month stint as mayor. He left the council because of health-related reasons. This is his third time running in a mayoral election; he lost the previous two times.

Leggett said he could not choose a top priority if elected. He said he would work with the council to upgrade a number of city services.

“We have a lot of issues that need to be addressed, such as our streets, wastewater and trash services,” Leggett said. “To me, they are all equally important.”

Leggett cited his previous experience on the council as why he should be elected.

“I’m familiar with the way the system works, so I won’t be going in cold,” Leggett said. “I know all the councilpersons, and we work well together.”

Hart, 25, recently finished a tour of duty with the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division. The lifelong Commerce resident is a student at NEO studying early childhood education, and the assistant director of Jelly Bean Kids Childcare.

This is Hart’s first attempt at running for public office.

Hart said his top priority would be to look at the city’s water service and check for accurate billing.