Q Why are you running for the city commission?
A “I’m worried about the future of Emporia. I have kids that are growing up here and it seems with everybody leaving town business-wise that there won’t be any opportunities for them to stay here, there won’t be any jobs for them. I just want to get involved and see if I can help out in any way that I can.
“And then I’ve noticed the city repair crews and the snow removal crews are working short-handed. I’d like to give them a voice on the committee to make sure it’s brought up to where it’s supposed to be.”
Q What do you see as the three biggest issues facing Emporia and how would you address them?
A “The first one is, we need to find a way to get more industrial-type jobs into town. Retail jobs are fine but they don’t pay that well. If you don’t have people here making money to spend at those retail spots, I don’t see the point of bringing them in here.
“And then the city staff like I said, the repair crew, the snow removal crew ... the street department. I think they’re working understaffed and I think it needs to be researched why that is. In weather like this, that kind of affects the safety of the whole community. ...
“To me, the north and west have been a major growing point for the city, so much that they tend to forget the east and south side of town. I don’t think that’s fair. I think I can be a voice on the committee, seeing as I live on the east side of town, to try to give those people somebody to talk to about their problems.
Q What qualities do you consider to be most important in a city commissioner?
A “I believe you have to be somebody that everybody can come talk to about their individual problems and griefs. Not just upper-class people, but everyone in the whole town. I think I can bring that quality to the committee because of my position as a custodian, I get to talk to a lot of different people. Honestly, I feel right now that there’s a lot of distrust in the city government. ... They need somebody in there that people can recognize as an honest and trustworthy person. ... Also, maybe that I feel like I could sit on the commission and not vote yes to every question. I can ask questions and try to research it a little bit better.”
Q One of the most important issues facing the city has been the hiring of a city manager. What do you think of the process?
A “I think they’ve done their homework on the candidates they’ve picked, the last five they’ve selected. I thought maybe the city should have come out and said who the five were instead of running around the bush and not announcing those five until the pressure got put on them to announce it. ... I think they’ll make the right decision because they’ve done enough research. ... Personally, I hope it’s somebody from out of town, who’s new to Emporia. ... They can come in and get a clearer picture of what’s been going on the last five or 10 years and not be accustomed to seeing it every day.
Q Why should I vote for you?
A “I’m just an average person. I just want to be able to represent the whole town equally and fairly. I know I don’t know much about city government, I’ve never been in politics before, but I think each candidate can’t really say they’re an expert on how to run a city ... We need an average person on the commission.”