Butler mayoral candidate Michael Walter.

The race the year to be Butler's mayor just got more crowded, with first term council member Michael Walter saying Friday that he will run in the Republican primary election.

Walter said he was picking up his nomination petition paperwork on Friday, and decided to run because he wants to do more to help the city's financial struggles. He also said he wants to promote more single family homes and fewer rentals within the city limits.

“I've decided to run for mayor even though that was never my intention,” Walter said Friday. “The financial state of the city prompted my decision. I'd like to promote new businesses and homeownership coming into the city, and have a thriving economy.”

He said as part of that plan he envisions working to get another fast food restaurant downtown, and supports the project to turn the Penn Theater into a performing arts center.

“it's a great draw to get people to come downtown, and that's what we need,” Walter said, adding that he also wants to pursue opportunities to host more festivals in Butler.

“They do cost the city money, but they bring people downtown and that's one of the things the city needs,” he said.

Walter, 69, is a lifelong Butler resident who retired from AK Steel after 32 years. He then worked for Mannheim Pittsburgh for 10 years, and is currently employed part-time at Deihl Automotive. Walter was elected to council in 2015 with 1,044 votes, in an uncontested race for one of two vacant seats on the five-member body.

He called his first year as an elected official instructive in the “lack of cooperation” among council members.

“It's supposed to be a team. Some people don't want to work within that,” Walter said. “Working as a team you're going to get more benefits as opposed to fighting constantly.”