A stranger once commented after meeting Lary Coppola for the first time that he seemed to enjoy being mayor more than anyone she’d ever met.

That seems like a pretty apt description, and it also defines his best qualification for the job.

Coppola, who announced this week he intends to seek a second term as Port Orchard’s chief executive, didn’t throw his hat in the ring four years ago solely out of a desire for public service, although that surely played a role.

Nor was it simply a question of ego, though no one would suggest he’s short on that commodity, either.

Whatever one thinks of Coppola — and he can be a polarizing figure — there’s little question he wants very badly to continue as Port Orchard’s mayor because promoting the city comes as natural to him as breathing.

He wants what he believes is best for the community and he’s willing to work tirelessly both in and out of the publc eye to get it.

As for his results, it depends on your point of view. Coppola would be the first to concede he hasn’t accomplished as much as he’d intended during his first term, but it hasn’t been for lack of effort or vision.

If your concept of Port Orchard is a sleepy little village where people live but don’t work and little changes from year to year, Coppola’s ambitious agenda, blunt talk and whirlwind style probably don’t sit well with you.

But if you’re among those eager to see the city grow and embrace its manifest destiny, you’d have to look long and hard to find someone more eager to take on that challenge.

None of which should be construed as an endorsement. At this point, we don’t even know whether he’ll face any opposition or who that person might be.

But anyone contemplating taking him on had better be prepared to work hard for the job.

Coppola isn’t going to give it up without a fight.