Former District 2 councilman and former mayoral candidate Jimmy Rogers has announced he will seek office as District 2 councilman.

“I have many concerns pertaining to the budgets and the amount of money being spent. Since around 2008, there has been around $2.5 million taken out of the utility department each year and put in the city general fund. At this rate, in my opinion, we will never get our utility rates reduced.

“I’ve served on the Opp City Council from 1976 to 1984, and again from 2000 to 2012, was Mayor Protem from 2000 to 2004, and I also served on the utility board 12 years and reduced rates in 2000 to 2004. I have the experience to help govern the city and will try my best to reduce spending to help us lower our utility bills.

“When I was Mayor Protem, we only got $400,000 a year sent to city hall from the utility board. We used this money and our oil and fuel tax to resurface streets. From 2000-2004 there were more streets resurfaced than has been in the last 30 years. I am like a lot of people in Opp. I have a large investment in my community.

“I have successfully run two businesses for 54 years. I’ve got the business experience and think that is very important considering the condition Opp is currently in.

“In the last 3.5 years, to my knowledge, we have no industry coming into our town.

“We must make a 100 percent effort to bring jobs to our community for our people to pay their bills and live above poverty. We have many streets that are in dire need of resurfacing.

“I have no problem with cleaning up Opp, but my question is how much money have we recovered in the process and put back in the general fund?

“Elect me as your city councilman-District 2 and I promise to give you 100 percent.”