David Lucavish and Joseph Cimaomo, Jr. are both focusing on parks and roads in their bid for the same seat on Covington City Council.

Both men are interested in seeing the city make strides in developing its park system as well as on improving the city’s transportation infrastructure.

Lucavish, the incumbent who was appointed in 2008 to finish out a term, ran unopposed for the seat in 2009.

“I feel that I haven’t finished what I want to do,” Lucavish said. “I think the City Council is better with a lot of diverse ideas and I think I have just a little bit of a City Council.”

Cimaomo, is running for Covington City Council for the second time after losing a bid against Marlla Mhoon in 2011.

Lucavish moved to Covington in 1997. Cimaomo, who is originally from California, moved with his family to Kent in 1992 then into the Covington area in 1999.

Both work in retail. Lucavish owns a computer shop which he started in 1997. In March he moved the business into Covington from Kent. Cimaomo is a manager at Big Lots!

There are, however, differences between the candidates.

Lucavish is running for second full term because he feels he has more to get done. In 2008 when he was first appointed to the council he was concerned about the fact there weren’t sidewalks on both sides of 164th Avenue Southeast from Kent-Kangley to Kentwood High School. There still aren’t sidewalks and he would like to see that street become safer for pedestrians.

“I think we need to keep on that to make sure that in the future that’s on the agenda,” Lucavish said.

While he is pleased with the progress made on Covington Community Park, Lucavish would like to see more done there, and a move to get more done at Jenkins Creek Park.

“I’d like to see (CCP) finished and start looking who we can partner with in getting the Jenkins Creek Park to get that started because it’s so run down and things in there are happening that you probably you don’t even want to know about,” Lucavish said. “Part of it is getting people to use it and in order to get people to use it, it’s got to be functional.

I’m really excited about Covington (Community) Park but that Jenkins Creek Park, because it’s downtown and because it’s so close to the hospital, it’s going to be our next focus.”

Lucavish noted that since he moved to Covington he has spent a considerable amount of time connecting with various community organizations as well as learning about how the city works. He began attending City Council meetings regularly in 2000, chaired the city’s Economic Development Council for several years, served on the Puget Sound Regional Council and is on a couple of Kent School District committees.

“I think I have a real feel as to what’s going on,” Lucavish said. “I feel I’m pretty connected.”

Meanwhile Cimaomo, who graduated from Kentwood High in 2004, became interested in local politics more recently.

“I saw a bunch of things that I felt were lacking in Covington and I thought the way to change that was to get involved,” Cimaomo said. “I was the kind of person to reach for the stars and why not run for City Council.”

Though he was not successful two years ago, Cimaomo said, he learned a great deal from the experience.

“I didn’t get out there and knock on as many doors as I should have, I didn’t talk to as many people as I should have,” Cimaomo said. “I feel like I know how to do it correctly this time.”

Cimaomo is particularly concerned about the lack of park space as well as how Covington Community Park and the Covington Aquatic Center are marketed to potential customers.

A pair of other issues are particularly important, Cimaomo said: public safety and roads.

“We only have 13 officers and at some points during the day we only have one patrolling and to me, that’s very bad,” Cimaomo said. “Our roads are in desperate need of overlay and we just keep postponing it.”

Cimaomo was one of the members of the city’s budget priorities advisory committee which spent nine months going over the budget.

“We looked for ways we could scrimp and save to hire more police officers,” Cimaomo said. “I still have all that budget paperwork and I still look through it every once in a while to bring in another officer. I just keep throwing out ideas.”

One of the ideas which came from the BPAC process was the transportation benefit district. In November voters will have the opportunity to approve a 0.2 percent sales tax increase which could generate a significant amount of revenue if approved.

“There are parts of that I like and parts that I don’t,” Cimaomo said. “If that doesn’t pass there are other areas we could look at, again digging deep in the budget and getting rid of a couple pet projects.”

Lucavish also wants to see more work done on roads.

“It’s already in our 20 year plan, widening Kent-Kangley (east of Wax Road), so traffic on the weekend and at rush hour isn’t so bad,” Lucavish said. “We’ve got it planned but it costs money, too. The (TBD) is really designed more for upkeep and fixing the streets we already have, which have been been failing, and we’re not the only ones with that problem. All the cities in this area, budgets have been tight, and that’s one of the things that goes by the wayside. The (TBD) could really help out if it passes.”

Economic development is important to both candidates, too.

Lucavish pointed to his experience as a business owner as well as his service with the Covington Chamber of Commerce and CEDC.

“I’m really interested in making Covington a place where we can work and play,” Lucavish said.

Cimaomo explained that he thinks the city can do a better job of marketing itself to attract new businesses here in order to increase revenue stream to city services.

Ultimately, Lucavish said, he believes his unique perspective and his willingness to do his homework as well as his connections throughout the community are why voters should return him for a second term.

“I think common sense is not too common and I think I look at things in a way where I ask, ‘Is this real or not,’” Lucavish said. I don’t have any agenda. I’m going to look at what’s best for the city … and make sure the information I’m getting is apropos and it’s a sound decision.”

Cimaomo, who is married and raising his 6-year-old son with his wife in Covington, said he wants residents to know he’s learned not just from his past campaign but from the history of politics in America and will use that knowledge if he is elected.

“The other thing I would like people to know is that I’m a family man, I want to work hard for my family and provide for them … and ensuring that I’m working for them and the city of Covington,” Cimaomo said. “I will work for their families and make sure their families are well taken care of.”