Former Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner is seriously weighing running for his old job this November, he told The Blade today.

Mr. Finkbeiner, who is 75 and a Democrat, said he thinks that the city is lacking in safety, cleanliness, and economic vision.

“I’m doing my homework and reaching out and asking folks for their thoughts,” Mr. Finkbeiner said. “I don’t want this to be anything other than extremely well thought-out. I would like to have a diverse group of supporters.

“I can hit the ground running. The two things that I would make certain we focused upon on would be cleaning up this city - including figuring out how our highways and streets would be once again not pothole-filled - and getting the private sector leadership, including foundations, the university, and civic leadership types of people, really involved in a vision as to how Toledo can be seen as one of top 25 most attractive places for young men, women, and families.”

Toledo is holding a special election on Nov. 3 for a mayor to finish the two years left in the term of the late independent Mayor D. Michael Collins, who died Feb. 6 following cardiac arrest five days earlier. He was automatically succeeded by council President Paula Hicks-Hudson.

Ms. Hicks-Hudson, the endorsed Democrat, has declared herself a candidate for mayor.

Sandy Drabik Collins, widow of the late Mayor Collins, is expected to announce her intent to run this week.

Also running is Republican Opal Covey.

Under the city charter, there will be no September primary to narrow the field to two candidates, so everyone who qualifies will be on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Mr. Finkbeiner said Mr. Collins’ agenda was similar to his own, such as the Tidy Towns, or T-Town initiative. Mr. Finkbeiner promoted the “model block” program that focused super cleanup efforts in concentrated neighborhoods.

“I think I had the most assertive approach to clean neighborhoods any mayor had in our lifetime,” Mr. Finkeiner said.

Mr. Finkbeiner was mayor from 1994 through 2001 and again 2006 through 2009. He did not seek re-election after his third term because he said he had promised his wife, Amy Finkbeiner, that he would serve only a single term. He said she supports his current interest in a two-year term.

Contact Tom Troy at: tomtroy@theblade.com or 419-724-6058 and on Twitter @TomFTroy.

First Published May 18, 2015, 8:50 p.m.