New Baltimore-Chesterfield Patch is profiling all the candidates for city council running in the Nov. 8 election. We recently learned about Frank Krause, Florence Hayman, and . Today, we hear from Stan Russell who is seeking an open four-year seat on council. Check back with us this week for more about other candidates.
Name: Stan Russell
Age: 43
Years lived in New Baltimore: 12
Occupation: Operations Manager at AT&T
Have you ever held a seat on this council? No.
What inspired you to seek a seat on council?
To give back to such a great community while providing forward-thinking leadership and offering fresh ideas and sound values that our residents expect in their elected officials.
If elected, what specifically would you like to see done during your term?
There are so many things that I envision. One thing I would like to see happen is that the residents in our community become more involved in the council. Let's open up the meetings to be able to be viewed by our residents via their homes. Why couldn't we offer a webcast of the meeting to allow the community to see what is happening?
Another thing that I feel is important is the ability to attract and keep small businesses in our community. Why is it that we have so many empty buildings? Can we entice new businesses with incentives instead of restrictions?
What do you think the city’s biggest challenges are and how can the community overcome them?
Sometimes, when you have the same team over several years, progress slows and the solutions are not clear. When that happens, it makes sense to bring in a fresh set of eyes. That fresh set of eyes can bring new ideas to the table and can also offer new solutions to existing project roadblocks. I think that our city council and the other committees within the city have done a great job but it is time to bring in new people to take our city to that next level for our citizens.
How would you improve the city’s downtown?
I really feel strongly that we need to attract new business to our downtown area. We have a beautiful downtown, but we have a lot of empty spaces and, with that, comes opportunity to grow the businesses. I would like to see the downtown area grow into the vision that was set forth years ago.
How would you make changes, if any, to the Parks and Recreation Department?
I know that this has been a hot topic of late. I feel that our Parks and Recreation Department is on the right track. Over the last year, I have seen so many different programs and new ideas surface and it seems that the community is taking advantage of that. That being said, I think that we need to invest more in this area. Our residents, of all ages, deserve access to more programs and to do that, the recreation department needs to be allowed to expand.
How do you describe yourself?
Energetic--always looking for opportunities to improve situations. I am a people person and can be approached or contacted anytime. I enjoy talking about current items and listening to all sides so that the right decisions can be made.
What are your hobbies/causes your passionate about?
My hobbies include playing with RC toys especially my helicopter even though I have to practice much more so I can minimize crashes and costly repairs. We also have four children, so activities with them are also top on my list. We try and go camping often and (do) many other outdoor activities.
What’s one thing about you that would surprise people?
Have always wanted to be part of a rock band and entertain others ever since my parents bought me my Gibson Les Paul back in the 80s.
