Truman Web wizard, others race for seats

Nine Kirksville residents have entered the race for City Council, and three will emerge victorious when the ballots are counted in April.

As of 5 p.m. Tuesday, nine Kirksville residents have announced they will run for three Kirksville City Council seats. One candidate, Todd Kuhns, represents both the community and the University.

"I'm a really big fan of the city," Kuhns said. "There are relatively few people for three positions - I thought that was troubling, so I considered doing my part and stepping up for service to a community that I really like."

Kuhns originally arrived in Kirksville by way of Truman. He graduated with a degree in communication in 2000. After marrying his wife, Bich, also a Truman alumna, the two moved to Japan to teach English to high school students. However, Kirksville's charm and a job offer from Truman's ITS department ultimately won Kuhns back.

"We had just come back from overseas, ... and [my wife and I] looked at each other and said, 'Wow, move back to Kirksville, that would be pretty cool,'" Kuhns said. "I found that if you spend a lot of time in this town, it really starts to grow on you."

Kuhns said he's not just Truman-centered. He said Kirksville as a whole has been like a second home to him. He grew up in a military family that moved often, but in Kirksville he said he found a community through his involvement as a news reporter at KIRX, KTUF and KRXL, all local radio stations.

"In the summers, it was two of us [reporting]," Kuhns said. "I was going to all of the City Council meetings, I was going to all of the school board meetings, I was going to court, I was interviewing business people and going around the community, and so coming back here to Kirksville I really had a strong base of friends in the community already that I knew, so it was easy for me to settle back in."

Since moving back to Kirksville nearly three years ago, Kuhns said he has been an active community member serving on

Please see KUHNS, Page 7

Continued from Page 1

the board of the Curtain Call Theater Company, an active church member and part of the local Rotary Club. Kuhns said he thinks his personal history and honesty make him a strong candidate for City Council.

"I think in me most people will find honest leadership," Kuhns said. "I am not coming in with an agenda, I don't have anything to prove. ... I'll be a good representative from what the people tell me they're interested in. I'll be able to carefully consider all the options before making my decision."

Kuhns, like many of the other candidates, has no previous experience on the Council. However, City Manager Mari Macomber said political history isn't necessary.

"You have to be 21," Macomber said. "You have to be a resident for at least a year, and you have to fill out some paperwork."

Among those on the ballot, only one has previous experience on the Kirksville City Council, mayor pro-tem Martha Rowe. On Nov. 29, 2007, the Index reported that Rowe would not be seeking re-election. However, Rowe said she has since reconsidered in light of the number of vacant seats.

"Several people have urged me to file again to offer stability ... so there are not three new people on the Council," Rowe said. "Jill [McCord] has been on longer than one term, but that would just be two of us."

Rowe declined to comment on whether she would consider taking on the position of mayor again.

In addition to Rowe and Kuhns, Kevin Alm, Gail Brown, Terry Flanagan, Joe Conway, Charles Cannaday, Richard Detweiler and Larry Logston have filed for candidacy. Voters will elect City Councilmembers April 8.