SHELBY — Shelby Mayor Steve Schag has announced that he will be running for a third term.
“I feel privileged to be the mayor of the city of Shelby and I consider myself a public servant first and foremost,” Schag said. “(Shelby citizens) are my employers and so I seek to do what’s best for the city.”
Schag, who recently retired as the pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, describes himself as a people person.
“We have a very good team here in the city of Shelby so I enjoy coming into work each day,” he said. “I’ve always been one to try and find solutions.”
Schag is currently in his ninth year as mayor. He was a city councilman for eight years and was serving as councilman-at-large in 2014 when then-mayor Marilyn John was elected county commissioner.
Schag replaced John in 2015 through a succession process outlined in the city’s charter. If the mayor’s office is vacated, the position is offered first to the law director, then the finance director and then the council member at large.
The following year, he took office again after being elected to his first four-year term.
Schag said he’s enjoyed being on the cutting edge of newer developments in the city, including a 14-acre solar field.
“I feel we have a real good chemistry in the city at the administrative level through out all of our departments,” Schag said. “We’ve got a lot of momentum going in the right direction, so I want to continue to try and bring good things to the community of Shelby.”
Daniel O’Brien of the Richland County Board of Elections confirmed that Schag obtained a petition for the upcoming mayoral primary on Tuesday. In order to be listed as candidate in May’s non-partisan primary election, Schag must collect a total of 28 signatures and return the petition to the board of elections.
O’Brien said Wednesday no one else has pulled a petition for Shelby’s top office.
