With Ward 6’s longtime councilwoman, Donna Travis, not seeking reelection after 30 years of service, another Democrat is looking to take her place.

William Muto is a lifelong Warwick resident and works at Bristol County Savings Bank. His political career actually started with a run against Travis in her early years as councilwoman, and while he’s been involved in city politics since then, this is his first run since.

The time between then and now, Muto said, has given him important perspective as he gives the seat a second crack at 57 years old.

“My wife will remind me every day that I ran against Donna in the ’90s when I was working at Citizens Bank and she was nine months pregnant,” Muto said. “But if I had to talk to my past self when I ran, I would say to broaden my horizons. These years that have passed, I believe, have given me a greater perspective.”

Should he be elected, Muto said his top priority would be the city’s finances. With COVID money no longer coming in, Muto said that he would be able to bring “focused discipline” to the council.

Pointing out his role with the bank, he said that he is well positioned to look for and manage risk in the city’s government.

“When it’s looking at risk, it’s on stuff like cybersecurity,” Muto said. “It’s on budgeting, and it’s also on policies and practices… There’s an HR risk. We employ a lot of people, and we need to make sure that we develop a culture that is respectful and also legal. We need to make sure we protect our employees, and we get rid of the risk that is causing other potential lawsuits.”

Since he’s started his campaign, he’s talked with Travis about what to expect on the Council if he wins the seat, noting her advice has been a significant help in preparation should he win.

Recently, though, Travis pleaded nolo contendere to misdemeanor charges she illegally acquired a plot of land from the Oakland Beach Real Estate Owners Association (OBREOA).

Muto believes her work in Ward 6 throughout her tenure shows her commitment to public service and makes her a good mentor.

“When you look at anybody’s life or record or involvement, you can’t just take one component of their life,” Muto said. “But if you look at the whole picture, what I have seen was some very significant changes that she has started. City Park is a great example — she’s been very passionate about the dog park and making City Park a nice park for the residents of the city. The other part is the passion, the love she has for Oakland Beach. And she’s always kept the residents top of mind.”

Both major parties will be competing for Ward 6, with Muto set to face Republican Beth Lane Italiane. Muto and Lane Italiane have met on the campaign trail, and their interactions have been cordial. Muto said that he believed that Lane Italiane had vastly different ideas than him on how the government should work.

With one month left in the campaign, Muto plans on closing strong. Throughout October, he will be visiting 21 key areas in the ward. He’s also stepping up his social media, which he credited his daughter for helping him with, and his website, which has a form on it to email Muto or schedule a call with him.

“I’m passionate about the city, and I want to hear from you,” Muto said.

His message for the voters he meets, he says, is a simple one.

“I’ve been pushing my three Rs,” Muto said. “I’m going to be reachable. I’m going to be able to respond to you, which a lot of complaints you get with politicians overall is not calling back. And the last part is I’m going to be respectful, because people have different ideas and different positions. It doesn’t hurt to listen and see if we may be able to put something together that is good for all of us.”