Ward 10 St. Charles City Council Candidate Kenneth Wright

Patch reached out to all local candidates for office to do an election profile before the April election. All candidates who spoke with Patch will be featured on the site. 

Kenneth Wright, 45

Occupation: Mechanic for the St. Charles County Highway Dept. since 1995
Education: Lewis and Clark Vo-Tec, Southeastern Academy in Kissimmee, FL, Community College of the Air Force, St. Charles Community College
Family: Married to Tina for 26 years, Two daughters: Courtney 24, Christina 14
Years in St. Charles: 44 years
First Elected/Appointed to Office: Appointed to the St. Charles Fourth of July Committee for 5 years

Background:  

I have lived in St. Charles most of my life except for the four years that I served in the U.S. Air Force. I have worked for St. Charles County for the past 17 years.  Living in Ward 10 for over 14 years I have seen my ward, and the City of St. Charles, go through some really good times and some really bad ones. I believe that only someone that has lived in our ward could see how our streets and infrastructure has deteriorated to the point that it is now.

Why are you running for election?  

I am running for Councilman to try and help save the taxpayers money and stop the fraudulent spending.

What is the biggest issue facing St. Charles?

Lindenwood University and what they are going to do with all of the property that they bought on the east side of First Capitol Drive.

In what areas does St. Charles need to improve? 

1st: Street Repair, 2nd: Empty and Delinquent Buildings, 3rd: Informing the citizens of where their tax money is being spent.   

What will you do to help attract small business and retail to St. Charles? 

I think that if the city could help the small businesses with advertisement of their services and goods, it would make it more attractive for a business to move here.  I know that the city receives time on the digital billboards through out the city. If we could pass some of that time down to them, people could see what services they offer. There are many small businesses within our city that many of our own citizens have never heard of. With this information, we could keep our tax money within our city.

What will you do to maintain quality of life for St. Charles residents? 

Improve the infrastructure.  Our streets, water, and sewer are getting old and are in need of repair and/or replacement.  Make sure that our Police, Fire, Street, and Water Departments have the most up to date equipment and trained personnel.

What's one thing you'd like to accomplish this year? 

To inform the residents of Ward 10 and the city.  The internet and e-mails are a great thing, but many of the residents of St. Charles are retired or elderly and do not have internet access.  In walking through Ward 10, the residents have asked for more printed information, either by posting in the newspapers or by a letter in their mailbox.