AKRON, Ohio -- At a kickoff event for his re-election campaign, Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan said his administration will continue initiatives to boost the city’s population and quality of life for residents.

“It’s about moving the city forward, growing its population and increasing its capacity and making it better each and every day,” Horrigan told about two dozen supporters Friday at his campaign headquarters.

Horrigan was elected in November 2015 as Akron’s first new full-term mayor since Don Plusquellic was elected in 1987. Prior to taking office, Horrigan represented Ward 1 on Akron City Council, served as Clerk of Summit County Court of Common Pleas and taught social studies at his alma mater, St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.

If elected to a second-term, Horrigan plans on taking a customer service approach to reaching out to residents, community organizations and businesses.

“It’s not, ‘Hey, what do you want?’ but, ‘How can I help you?’” the mayor said.

Horrigan said he also wants to see Akron become more diverse and vibrant.

City Council President Margo Sommerville, who represents Ward 3, spoke Friday in support of Horrigan, pointing to his Issue 4 campaign in 2017 as a measure of his success. Issue 4 raised the income tax from 2.25 percent to 2.5 percent to pay for improvements to roads and public safety.

“You can now drive around the city,” Sommerville said. “You actually have all new equipment, necessary equipment that our police and fire need to do the very essential services that they provide to the residents of Akron.”

Akron City Council President Margo Sommerville, center, speaks with Mayor Dan Horrigan, left, and Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro, right, at the kickoff for Horrigan's re-election campaign.

Speaking from personal experience, Sommerville said the mayor’s willingness to listen has led to collaboration in City Hall.

“I think it was about a year ago, mayor, I came to you and I had some real concerns in the African-American community about the police not being representative of our community,” Sommerville told Horrigan. “Some of those conversations, they weren’t easy, but you listened. And not only did he listen, he took it a step further and he actually brought about action.”

In response to Sommerville’s concerns, Horrigan worked to reopen Akron’s police training academy, to pay recruits during their training and to raise the age limit for officers and firefighters.

Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro also spoke Friday about Horrigan’s ability to discuss difficult but important issues.

“The county works with the city every day all the time, and some of those conversations are tough conversations,” Shapiro said, agreeing with Sommerville. “But we are both focused on moving our community forward.

“We have forged the foundation with the mayor to be able to take our community, the city of Akron, to the next level,” Shapiro said.

The only other Democrat running for mayor is Greg Harrison, pastor of the Antioch Baptist Church in Akron’s Sherbondy Hill neighborhood.

Josh Sines, a ring announcer for mixed martial arts, professional wrestling and boxing, is the lone Republican mayoral candidate.

The primary election will be held May 7.