New London — Calling on members of the community to collectively become part of the solution to issues facing the city, Republican City Councilor Martin “Marty” Olsen made official his candidacy for mayor on Monday.

A crowd of three-dozen supporters filled Castillo’s Hair Salon and Barbershop for Olsen’s announcement. Olsen is a five-term city councilor who will challenge Mayor Michael Passero, a Democrat.

“In order to solve our problems, we need to recognize we have problems,” Olsen said.

If elected mayor, Olsen said some of his focus will be on “maximizing our opportunities,” by building better relationships with Connecticut College, Mitchell College, the Coast Guard Academy and Lawrence + Memorial Hospital.

He said he plans to better promote the city’s history as a destination, tackle blight and bulky waste issues and “inspire neighborhood and community pride.”