Zeno Wicks II announced his candidacy this week for the open three-year term on the Brookings City Council. Wicks has been a city councilman since being appointed in September to fill the term which was vacated by Keri Weems.

Wicks said his platform focuses on three critical areas.

The first segment of the platform includes strengthening economic development in the community by attracting new businesses to the area and further developing existing businesses.

He said he hopes to identify and recruit businesses that can utilize the professional workforce available in the SDSU student body, assisting student recruitment and retention, city growth and youth retention.

Second, Wicks wants to foster and create city-hosted activities to enhance the quality of life in Brookings while increasing sales tax revenues.

Finally, Wicks’ third goal is to implement the plans of the task force working to build a new senior citizens’ center in Brookings. Current facilities no longer meet the demands for activities and meeting space for the increasing senior citizen population, he said.

Wicks is a plant science professor at SDSU and the co-owner of three local businesses. He has lived in Brookings for the past 22 years.