By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
While six candidates are vying for St. Joseph's three at-large seats on the city council, two candidates are on the ballot for city council in the fourth district, which covers the southeast quarter of the city.
Incumbent Russell Moore was first elected to the council in 2018 after spending 42 years on the St. Joseph Fire Department, retiring as a battalion chief.
Moore, a St. Joseph native, cites public safety and appearance of the city as two key issues. While Moore is proud of the 120 miles of street repair that's gone on during his time in council, he'd like to see some attention given to the alleyways.
"The alleyways in our city need some attention," Moore said during a March interview on KFEQ's The Hotline. "Not just a little bit of attention but quite a bit."
As a former dispatcher, Moore says providing the best equipment and resources to those who work in public safety is also a top priority.
"Public safety (employees) are the ones who put their lives on the line," he said. "So, yeah. I want to take care of them. Provide them with the equipment that they need."
Moore's opponent in this election is Michael Grimm - a retired airline pilot and director of flight operations of more than 30 years.
A St. Joseph native, Grimm says his time as a pilot gave him a chance to see and experience multiple cities and towns across the country. He also believes it's given him the proper tools to be an effective member of city council.
"You need leadership skills, critical thinking and team building," Grimm told The Hotline. "I used those every day that I flew and that's what kept me alive. I think that's what we need more of on the city council."
Grimm also cited public safety as a top issue facing the city. He's also spent the last 10 or so years on various city boards that deal with beautification.
While Grimm is in favor of addressing law enforcement shortages, getting to the root of crime and further beautifying the city, he urges fiscal responsibility from city hall.
"I really want to work hard on the way we spend our tax dollars," Grimm said. "We have to be more conservative and wise about the way we spend it so that everyone benefits from it."
Grimm and Moore faced off against each other for a city council seat in the fifth district in a February 2018 primary. Moore beat Grimm then by a slim 391-381 margin.
The municipal election is Tuesday, April 5.
