Duane O’Neal has announced his candidacy for the Andalusia City Council District 2 seat.

O’Neal, who is retired, represented District 3 on the council from 1992 until 1996.

“I’ve retired after 40-odd years in my own sign business and have plenty of experience in dealing with you – the public,” O’Neal said. “I’ve served as a past city councilman and certainly want to see growth continue here.

“I’ve watched and participated in making Andalusia more attractive to visitors, as well as you, the residents,” he said. “I’ve seen progress stop, stall and then, move forward again, and now, we own a mansion on East Three Notch Street and have even had a concert there – at the taxpayers’ expense.”

O’Neal said he believes the city should live within its means and reduce spending. He proposes doing this by having city employees park their vehicles at city hall each night.

“I will do my best to keep our taxes and cost of city services from getting any higher,” he said, adding that he knows how to say and vote “no.”

O’Neal said he is in favor of growth, but doesn’t believe the jobs that have been added in the past seven-and-a-half years have helped the economy.

“You know all of the jobs that have come to the area in the past seven and a half years didn’t help our local people much because those employees that came with the business took the best paying jobs and only a small percentage of local people got the rest.”

He also is calling for “old-style” council meetings, and said he doesn’t believe a citizen should have to be on the agenda to speak at public meetings.

O’Neal was born and reared in Andalusia. He and his wife, Michelle, live on Dunson Street, and have three sons, one daughter, and expect their eighth grandchild this month.