Candidate Q&A: Elmo Mayor
Ron Marriott
The Forum sent a set of five prompts to each candidate running in a contested race on the April 2 ballot. Candidates were asked to keep their responses to 4-5 sentences, and could respond to as many or as few of the prompts as they wished. If a candidate’s response to a specific prompt is not listed, then they did not respond to that prompt. Responses have been lightly edited for clarity.
The city of Elmo has two candidates running for mayor: Ron Marriott and Christopher Thompson (incumbent).
RON MARRIOTT
Spouse:
- Jo Anna Marriott
Current job:
- Self Employed – Auto Mechanic for 30+ years
1 – Why did you decide to run for mayor?
I want to help Elmo move forward with future growth and development. I would like to rebuild past relationships and to create new relationships with our surrounding communities, to make a positive difference in the community.
2 – How do you feel about the city’s current direction?
I fear the city has stalled with no movement going forward. I feel like in order to grow with the current times we have to open up to more options to allow new ideas to come in.
3 – What would be your top priority?
My top priority would be to ensure Elmo is a safe and enjoyable community for all visitors, families and citizens.
4 – What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the city over the next decade, and how do you think it can be best addressed?
I feel like the biggest challenge Elmo faces is the lack of families moving into the city, and without growth the city will die off. We have to be open to change and allow for new ideas to come across our table for discussion in order to keep our city alive.
5 – Feel free to add your thoughts on any other issues or anything else you’d like voters to know about you.
I would like to address Ordinance issues within the City to help better the lifestyles of our citizens by enforcing and/or updating City Ordinances or implementing new ones if needed to better the lifestyles of our citizens.
CHRISTOPHER THOMPSON
1 – Why did you decide to run for mayor?
When I was growing up, I knew people would call me a lot of different things. Mayor was never on the list. I was at a job working one day, and the current mayor of 35 years stopped to have a conversation with me. He said he was going to retire and needed somebody to step up and that list was very short because there’s just not a lot of people that want to commit to anything anymore because life is so busy and it’s not a job you do for money in a small town.
2 – How do you feel about the city’s current direction?
It’s very hard to grow and know the direction a small town is headed with cost of living just being absurd and growing out of control. Fortunately, we have an amazing board. Great employees and people who love Elmo. So I would say our direction is forward.
3 – What would be your top priority?
My top priority is to just show up and help any way I can. I help run meetings but the board does most of the work.
4 – What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the city over the next decade, and how do you think it can be best addressed?
I think just financially keeping up with maintenance on streets, water and sewer, to keep up to date on constant changes implemented by DNR and EPA will be our biggest challenge in the next decade, and then finding people to do the work. We will keep applying for grants and any assistance with help from the regional council or any other sources out there.
5 – Feel free to add your thoughts on any other issues or anything else you’d like voters to know about you.
Elmo is my home, always has been and always will be. I work a full-time job, have a full-time family, but I still do my best to do what I can for our town.
Christopher Thompson
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