Huntington Mayor Steve Williams has become a familiar face for many students, partly due to “Coffee with the Mayor” sessions Williams does on campus. Wednesday, Williams and students discussed issues concerning the campus and Huntington.

Sponsored by the City of Huntington and the Student Government Association, “Coffee with the Mayor” helps to bridge the gap between Marshall students and the city of Huntington. Student Body President Matt Jarvis said some of the issues discussed include parking tickets and safety in the city.

“One issue that we always get is parking, and recently we’ve been getting a lot of safety concerns, and these are very realistic, these are very justified concerns that we’re talking openly with, and I think it’s great having a mayor who is so transparent with these issues,” Jarvis said.

Jarvis said these sessions offer students a chance to bring the concerns they have about the city to the person in charge.

“I think it’s just important to allow our students to have the opportunity to come and speak with really the man representing them in their city,” Jarvis said.

Williams greeted both students and faculty as they approached in the student center. Williams said he hopes to make a personal connection with students.

“By coming on campus, students see me here and not just on TV, or around town,” Williams said, “It’s important to create the connection with students”

Williams also said students are citizens of the city of Huntington, and they have some of the same concerns that other citizens have.

“They (students) are residents of the city, and they have the very same concerns that people in every other neighborhood, and frankly they seem to be a little more spot on with them and we’ve been able to make changes because of it,” Williams said.

Kyra Biscarner can be contacted at [email protected].