A month after City Council President Steve McAllister announced he would not run for reelection, the field to replace him in Ward 7 is getting larger and larger.

Jackie Anderson, chair of the Rhode Island Women’s Democratic Caucus, and former Burrillville Democratic Town Committee chair Steve Mulcahey have both thrown their hat into the ring. Now, a third candidate has stepped into Ward 7’s Democratic primary.

John Kirby, owner of Kirby Bros. Construction now in “semi-retirement,” has put his name forward as a candidate. He also serves on Ward 7’s Ward Committee.

Kirby ran for office in the past, with a bid for State Senate in the 1980s and three runs for mayor against Scott Avedisian already under his belt. Stepping back into politics, he said, was an easy decision, and was also aided by McAllister’s.

“It’s an open seat,” Kirby said. “It’s a good opportunity to run.”

Overall, Kirby believes that the man he is running to replace has done a good job, saying McAllister has “delivered a lot” for Ward 7 throughout his eight years in office.

Kirby lives on West Shore Road, and has lived in Warwick throughout his 72 years of life.

The top priority for Kirby in his campaign, he said, will be making sure Warwick balances its budget and avoids raising taxes as much as possible. His business background, he said, would be a major benefit in helping the city financially.

“I’ll have a watchful eye on the budget,” Kirby said. “I’ll be looking at everything that comes before the council with a business perspective.”

Another priority for Kirby is increasing the amount of affordable housing in the city, saying that the city had a shortage and he would look favorably upon new housing projects.

Kirby also made sure to note that he was a big fan of the Warwick Area Career and Technical Center (WACTC), and aims to find ways to advocate for more programs and an expansion of current programs as WACTC.

“I don’t hear it stressed enough, but I think it’s very important,” Kirby said. “If they have training or a trade, they’ll get a good job. Not every kid goes to college.”

When it comes to the construction of Warwick’s new high schools, Kirby said that the schools will be a major benefit for the city. He stressed, though, that he wanted to make sure that nothing budgeted in the contract “fell through the cracks.” Staying on budget, he said, was also imperative, as he believes that Warwick taxpayers cannot afford any additional school costs.

Over the next month, Kirby is planning to walk Ward 7, and will have campaign signs ready to give out to supporters shortly.

Kirby said while he doesn’t have a message for his opponents, his message for voters in the ward is succinct- his experience in the business world will translate to effectiveness on the City Council.

“I’d be giving the voters of Ward 7 good business expertise on the council,” Kirby said.