Twenty Questions for City Council Candidates: Ward 3

On April 7th, voter will select new City Council members.  The individuals we select to represent us on City Council are our closest connection to government.  Their decisions have greater impact on our lives than most national decisions.  Your vote is very important.  That is why Rolla Preservation Alliance decided to contact the candidates, so voters can be informed and to take time to cast a ballot and act on their best judgement.

This week, Rolla Preservation Alliance continues its series of questions for the City Council candidate running in Ward 3.  To recap, RPA contacted the eight individuals running for City Council in Rolla.  Over the next few weeks we will post our questions with their unedited answers in order to educate the voting public of the opinions and beliefs of the candidates.

Incumbent, Susan Eudaly is running unopposed in Ward 3.

Q & A with Susan Eudaly

Boundaries of Ward 3 in orange.

Name?

Susan Eudaly

Where are you from?

I grew up in St. Louis, MO. Then moved to Arnold, MO in the second grade.  I graduated from Fox Senior High School.  I attend college at Southeast Missouri State University.

How long have you been a resident of Rolla?

I have been a resident of Rolla since 1983.  I am a retired teacher of 32 years.  I taught for Rolla Public Schools.  Three years were spent in Van Buren, MO as a teacher.

What is the single most important issue in your ward?

I don't think you can pick one thing for each ward.  We have a park issue coming up for a vote.  This will impact Ward three if it is not passed.  Services for Coventry Park will be cut back.  This park is used quite a bit in Ward 3.

What is the worst thing to happen in your ward in the last five years?  
I can't name the worst thing.  We did have a house that burned and it took a long time to get it resolved but it has been taken care of, fixed up and sold.

What is the best thing to happen in your ward in the last five years?   
Ward 3 takes pride in the upkeep of property. 

What does Rolla do well? 
We have a great fire and police system.  Our utilities are among the best.  We have very good response to power outages.  Our city employees are among the best in the business.

What could Rolla do better? 

We can always improve ourselves in all area.

 

How can you/the city support small business development and expansion? 

We can help small business by making it easier to acquire the necessary permits to do business. 

What should we do to encourage others to relocate here? 

We have a good quality of life in Rolla and we continue to grow.

What should we do to encourage graduates from Missouri S&T to stay in Rolla?

In order to entice graduates to stay, we need to have more jobs that will attract them.  I know that's easy to say-we have to continue to work to keep them here.  We have Brewer Science, MO-Sci and a growing medical hospital.

Do you support the Rolla West Master Plan and the Westside Transportation Plan?  Why or why not?
Yes, I do support the Rolla West development and the transportation plan.  We have to find a way to move traffic better around town.

Do you support the Forum Plaza Community Improvement District? Why or why not? 

Yes I support the Forum Plaza Development.  This is much needed to improve shopping on that side of town.

What is the proper use of tax increment financing (TIF)?  Is there a proper use?  
When trying to attract business to our town, we need to be able to use TIF if needed.

Is eminent domain ever warranted?

I am not a fan of Eminent Domain and would hope not to ever have to use it.

Due to the growth of the student population at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, more student housing is needed.  With the recent proliferation of student housing construction by private investors, do you think stronger regulations and building codes are needed from Planning and Zoning Department?  Why are why not.

Planning and zoning codes are working.  If they need to be changed then this can be brought to the council.  It really helps us if people in the area where these buildings are going up come and talk to us.  We can just assume that if no one comes forward in opposition to these developments, then they are not opposed to them.

Do you support the overall campus master plan of the Missouri University of Science and Technology?  What do you like? What changes would you like to see?  
Yes I support the overall master plan of Missouri University of Science and Technology.  I really like the pedestrian bridges being suggested across 63.  This is a very dangerous highway to cross.

Do you support the Rolla Preservation Commission and their efforts to retain and reuse the historic built environment?  Why or why not? 

Yes, I support the Rolla Preservation Commission. I don't like tearing down buildings that have a history and can be saved.

What are your thoughts regarding Rolla’s historic heritage and historic assets? 
I am all for saving our historical buildings but it does take money and support to keep them.

What do you think is the best way to stabilize the core residential neighborhoods of Rolla?

It is not my place or the council's to tell a person in a neighborhood that they can't sell their house.  So your question about the best way to stabilize a core residential area is really not my job. We have planning an zoning commission that looks over request for development and then they come to us.  If people in the neighborhood are opposed to it, then we can decide from that response.  But I am not going to tell a person they can't sell their house to the hospital or the university.  I would not take that right away from a homeowner.