Working together, we can build the Charleston we want to see.
What Emmett has been working on in his first year in office:
- Lead sponsor of a bipartisan bill that strengthened the vacant structures registry — to make it harder for people to harm our neighborhoods by having vacant buildings.
- Worked with Mayor Goodwin to create the Small Business Liaison position.
- Helping implement a program to save taxpayers 25% or more on energy costs in 10 years, which I helped enact prior to being in office, working with the late John Kennedy Bailey.
- Increased fines for littering in the city.
- Lead sponsor of the bipartisan bill that legalized electric scooters.
- Working with the Administration and Councilmember Caitlin Cook to find a local solution for recycling to avoid excess costs taking our recyclables to Beckley.
- Worked with colleagues on Council to send a letter to Joe Manchin in support of passing what became the Inflation Reduction Act.
- Worked with the mayor on a proclamation in support of Ukrainian refugees and in recognition of our sister city in Slovakia that is helping them.
- Worked with colleagues on Council to send a letter to the West Virginia Public Service Commission in opposition to the latest rate increase proposed by Appalachian Power.
- Introduced a bipartisan consumer protection bill to protect against unscrupulous companies that make home improvements, sell our personal data, etc.
- Serving on the Charleston Land Reuse Agency to dig in and tackle vacant and dilapidated buildings, while finding a way to redevelop lots, one property at a time.
- Serving on the Spring Hill Cemetery Commission, working to make the cemetery a place to not just respect the dead, but also protect and experience nature.
- Putting in the legwork to help constituents with their specific needs and hyperlocal concerns from drains to parking to street signs.
Emmett’s Priorities:
Creating Momentum for Economic Development and Diversification
Charleston is well-positioned to be a hub for entrepreneurs who want a hassle-free, small-town lifestyle with the arts and culture perks of a larger city. We can do more to make it easier for small business owners to thrive in Charleston. We can start by having someone to help them navigate and streamline processes so that entrepreneurs can focus more on what is needed to grow and sustain their businesses.
Helping Charleston Families
So many families in West Virginia are having to spend too much time on basic necessities and not enough on the things that enrich their lives. We can enact policies that help our families thrive by protecting them from predatory practices and hurdles that get in the way of finding success. Whether it means addressing rate increases from electric and water companies or encouraging better benefits to workers, leaders in Charleston have an important role to play in improving the lives of the people living in households across the entire city.
Making Our Community Sustainable
Creating opportunities for Charleston residents to have better access to exercise, outdoor recreation activities, and alternative transportation makes our community a more enjoyable place to live.
We also need to make healthy and sustainable choices as a city to responsibly use resources, protecting nature and public health. This means improved recycling, less reliance on polluting sources of energy, and better enjoyment of the outdoors and nature for all.
“I’m working alongside residents who want to see a Charleston that is welcoming and safe for families, where businesses and the arts are thriving and putting dollars back into our local economy, and where the city is a more sustainable place for all. Let’s get to work – together.”
emmett pepper
Emmett Pepper for Council 