Four people running to be the next mayor of Keokuk: Carl Morgan, Tom Richardson, Patricia Whiteside, and Dan Winn. Morgan said he entered the race to provide new ideas and new perspectives to city government in Keokuk.
**NOTE - Morgan spoke with Tri States Public Radio prior to the vote by the Keokuk City Council to tear down the former Unitarian Church.**
Morgan said city leaders too often make decisions based on how things have always been done in the past. He said that cannot continue that if the city wants to grow and encourage young people to remain in Keokuk or to move to the city.
Morgan said that as mayor, he would push to bring more opportunities for children. He cited a police explorer program as an example of something that would give children activities to do after school, possibly reduce crime, and improve the relationships between children and local law enforcement.
Morgan said the biggest challenges facing Keokuk are the need for more jobs and the condition of the city's streets. He said he would reach out to local small businesses to see if the city can help them grow and thrive. As for the streets, Morgan said it comes down to finding money.
Morgan said he would operate under an open-door policy as mayor, inviting residents to constantly be in contact with City Hall. He said he would also push for the entire city council meeting to be broadcast on local access television, as opposed to the brief business portion of the meeting that is currently broadcast.
Early voting is underway in Keokuk ahead of the November 7 general election.
Current Mayor Tom Marion is not seeking re-election.