Terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, heightened Clutts' level of commitment.

"I saw demonstrations on the side of the road supporting the troops and I was standing there waving a flag and asked myself, 'Is this all I can offer?'" he said. "No, I could do a little more."

As a result, Clutts enlisted in the Army, serving two years at the West Point Military Academy hospital and two at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland.

"It's the same thing with the assembly," he said of running for office.

With Assembly President Milli Martin's representation of District 9 ending due to borough term limits, Clutts decided it was time to answer a call to service closer to home.

He offers voters his willingness "to put the time into what it takes to do the job."

"I think what it will come down to is that voters will make a decision who will put the time and energy into it," Clutts said. "I can't say (other candidates) won't, but I know I will."

His top priority is ensuring the borough offers "the best services, or even providing the services we have without raising the tax burden on people," he said. "We become more efficient, trim things here and there. I consider myself an advocate for the taxpayer and want to be able to do that."

Solid waste also is an important service provided borough residents, he said, adding, "It's certainly something we take advantage of and are quite used to having."

He views service areas as an avenue for voters to make decisions that directly impact them.

"I expect (service areas) to elect people that will represent them and I tend to lean toward going with what those boards have decided," he said.

Clutts believes the southern peninsula is fairly represented in the borough.

"You could say that based on the square mileage, we don't have as much representation or votes as the central peninsula," he said. "But it's based on population and I think in that way we're well represented."

He said outgoing Assembly President Martin set an example for fair representation by doing an "outstanding job of being available to people, talking to people, listening to opposing viewpoints and making herself available."

Of his plan to represent District 9, Clutts said, "It's going to be a matter of putting the time in and doing some of the footwork, meeting with people in different areas, maybe going to some of the different service area boards and sitting in, hearing their views, what their issues are. It's a big area. A big job. It will take some effort."