Huntington Mayor Steve Williams greeted students in the Memorial Student Center yesterday for his Second Coffee with the Mayor event.

The casual event is something Williams said he wants to use to keep communication open with the students.

“Most often times the students have the same concern about the city as local residents,” Williams said.

Williams also said students provide a unique perspective on the city and their ideas for areas of improvement.

When asked what the most surprising concern students had presented to him was, Williams said he was shocked to hear of the heating issues in some local housing for students.

“I never dreamed students would be telling me they were waking up to 40 degree temperatures inside their living spaces,” Williams said.

The mayor was able to address such issues as the heating in student housing because of his open communication with the students in Coffee with the Mayor.

Williams recalled when he heard of the shocking heating circumstances that he was then able to immediately get to work on fixing the problem.

Williams said he hopes to gain more insight on the pulse of campus through initiatives like Coffee with the Mayor.

One more Coffee with the Mayor for the spring is planned for April. Students are encouraged to stop by the lobby of the Memorial Student Center from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. and sip and chat with the Mayor.

Elayna Conard can be contacted at [email protected].