Herb Day never intended to run for political office. But then he saw things he did not like about how the city of Hillsboro operates and when the city announced it was pursing an area that will allow the public to consume alcoholic beverages in a specified outdoor area, he felt compelled to respond.

Day, a Republican, will face off against incumbent Hillsboro Mayor Justin Harsha, also a Republican, in the May 2 primary election that will determine the city’s next mayor.

The Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) where the city is considering outdoor alcohol consumption, Day said, was not the only reason he decided to run for mayor. He talked about a lack a transparency from the city administration, runaway spending, and issues with building inspections and permits.

“I had no plan to run for political office, but then the DORA really tipped the bucket,” Day said. “It’s not going to be easy, but I want to see the uptown area revitalized.” He said he wants to find out why new businesses are not filling empty uptown storefronts and attempt to remedy that.

“It’s not something the city can finance, but it’s something the city can help with as far as resources, and there are a lot of resources,” he said. “…Hillsboro used to be open for business, but that doesn’t seem to be the way it is now and I want to find out why and I want to restore it.”

A 66-year-old who was born and raised in Highland County and has spent 48 years in about every aspect of the radio business, Day said he is opposed to one-way streets the city is considering. He said the city was not laid out in a fashion conducive to one-way streets and that it did not work when it was tried long ago.

“What is the answer? I don’t know. Is it a bypass? That was talked about but the businesses didn’t like it,” he said.

Day said that while it is no fault of the current of the administration, he’d like to look into why the railroads left and what it would take to get them back.

He said he has no personal grievances against Harsha or Hillsboro Safety and Service Director Brianne Abbott.

“I like Justin and Bree, I just don’t think their focus is where it needs to be,” he said. Things like the new green space off West Main Street and other places in the city are nice and beautiful, “But they don’t make a buck,” Day said.

A close look at the Roberts Lane expansion is something else Day said is needed. He said it might be a good idea at the right time, but now is not the time, it will take years to develop, and the city does not have the funds that will be required.

Day said he also thinks the council president should focus on conducting council meetings rather than conducting the business of the city, and wondered why that has been allowed to happen.

“There are a lot of things as a citizen and a bystander that I have a lot more questions than answers to,” Day said. “If I win I will have an office in the administration building — the current mayor does not — and I’ll be accessible. If someone needs to talk to to me, they’ll get the opportunity to talk to me.”

His intention is to meet with every business owner, every manufacturing manager, Realtors and every business administrator he can.

“I’d just like to see this be a thriving city again — a city of influence — a city that feels like the county seat,” he said.

Former city administrators did away with cruising in the uptown Hillsboro area because it was a headache for the police, Day said, so why would the current administration not believe the DORA would be a headache?

It will take a lot of money and tiling to make the green space on West Main Street more usable, Day said, and he wondered where that money will come from. He said raises the city recently approved for its employees were needed for the more regular employees, but not by the administrators. He said the current administration does, “not have enough business experience, does not have enough life experience, and that needs to change. And that’s why I’m running.”

It is because he has that business and life experience that Day said he is the right pick for mayor. He said he’s a people person, knows who to work with people, and knows how to grow a business from the ground up. He said lots of local residents know his character and work ethic, and know they can talk to him.

“I’m a Christian and my decisions will be made on high moral ground,” the mayor candidate said. “I really believe this is something I should be doing and I’m really certain I can make a difference for the city of Hillsboro. I just think more needs to be done to make Hillsboro all it can be.”

Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522.