While Ward 8 Councilman Ray Gallucci announced Friday that he will not seek another term of office, his brother Joe said he plans to announce that he will be vying for the Ward 8 seat as a Democrat in the near future.

Joe, who recently retired, as the director of elections, from the Board of Canvassers after more than 15 years of service, said he now has time to get back into politics.

He served as the Ward 8 councilman from 1977 to 1984 and again from 1990 to 1992, serving as council president for much of the time. Also, in 1984, he ran for mayor, though was unsuccessful.

Now, he’s again focused on serving on the council. However, he remained mum on issues he’ll tackle if elected.

“My first goal is to get elected,” Joe said in an interview at his brother’s home Friday morning on Commonwealth Avenue. “I’ve always enjoyed helping people.”

Joe grew up in Warwick and graduated from Lockwood High School in 1953 before graduating with a degree in business administration from the University of Rhode Island in 1957.

Soon after, he started his career in the private sector and worked in sales for ITT General Controls, traveling frequently as the administrator of national and regional marketing. In 1993, he was appointed liquor control administrator for the state.

Further, he also served in the Rhode Island National Guard and received an honorable discharge in 1980 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He recently married his longtime friend Maryanne and has four children and four grandchildren.

Interestingly enough, Ray said Joe influenced him to get involved in politics.

“I never thought that I would run for political office until he talked me into running,” Ray said.

Ray, who has chaired the finance committee for six of the eight years he has served on the council, said he views his work to properly fund the E-911 system, as well as his efforts to mitigate dangers of EEE and West Nile Virus related to stagnant water, among the legislation he is most proud of.

In terms of E-911, Ray drafted the resolution for the Emergency Response Center to adequately fund its E-911 emergency call system, as nearly 17,000 callers were put on hold when they dialed 911 for help in 2007 due to lack of funds.

With the EEE and West Nile Virus, Ray drafted an ordinance that granted the Building Department, through its Division of Minimum Housing, authority to cite property owners who allow stagnant water to accumulate for more than seven days in swimming pools, spas, hot tubs, artificial ponds and other manmade containers that are not fully closed.

Additionally, when the floods of 2010 hit Warwick, he was pleased he was able to connect people with Tom Mowbray, a project manager for the Christian disaster-relief group, Samaritan’s Purse, and help residents repair their homes.

Prior to serving on the council, Ray graduated from Lockwood High School in 1954 and worked for Everseal, formerly in Hillsgrove, making aluminum windows.

About a year or so later, he began attending Bryant College and took an intense two-year course before graduating in 1957. In 1957, he enlisted in the Army National Guard and was honorably discharged in 1964 as a Second Lieutenant.

Ray also worked for Narragansett Brewery Company before taking over Lancellotta Paving, Inc. Also, he owned two liquor stores. He now owns and operates Raymond E. Gallucci Inc., a paving company.

After he wraps his term on the council, Ray said he plans to spend more time with his wife of more than 50 years, Carol, as well as his six grandchildren and three children, Cindy and Robert Gallucci, who work for the General Treasurer’s Office, and Major Ray Gallucci Jr., who works for the Warwick Police Department.

“Family comes first,” he said.