Jones and Goodwin working on smooth transition in the Charleston mayor’s office

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Charleston mayor Danny Jones is going to help mayor-elect Amy Shuler Goodwin in any way possible as she gets ready to take the office in January.

Thursday on his show, “580-LIVE” on WCHS, he said the two spoke Wednesday evening and both are wanting to make this a smooth transition.

“We had a very nice conversation,” he said. “She was very kind. I believe she is a listener and she wants to hear what I have to say.

“I am going to do whatever I can to help her facilitate to move into this job. The reason is, I was Sheriff of Kanawha County for four years a fairly powerful job, and it didn’t touch what I am in now. Didn’t touch it. It is so multi-faceted and sometimes not fun.”

Danny Jones

He said he will give Goodwin a key to a conference room in city council and a parking space as well. He wants her to come and go as she pleases in the coming months and learn the ropes.

“I think that we are going to do well together,” he said. “I think this is her call. She is going to have a council that is going to support her. Her entire slate of at-large candidates were elected. I think the Republicans that are going to be on council are interested in what is best for the city.”

He added on his show that he is willing to talk to Goodwin nearly every day if she wants and she will have his personal cell phone number for any questions or advice.

Amy Goodwin

“As dynamic as Amy Goodwin can be now the rubber hits the road,” he said. “Now she gets the calls about the excrement on the sidewalk and about the domestic violence.

“She’s the type of person, such a high energy person, she will want to get into that and I am going to caution her to be careful. She will get dragged into some stuff. You can’t major in minors while you’re the mayor of Charleston. I had to learn that the hard way.”

Goodwin will officially become the first female mayor in the city’s history when she takes office in January. Jones has been in office since 2003.

Goodwin defeated Republican J.B. Akers and Independent Andy Backus on Tuesday with 51 percent of the vote.