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KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- Five members of the Kirksville community are running for two open seats on the Kirksville City Council.

Each council member fills a three year position, after being voted into office by the city voters in an annual April election.

KTVO spoke with Mayor Richard Detweiler who is running for re-election.

He said some of the projects he is proud of are the $2.2 million storm water bonds and the Franklin Street Project.

Detweiler said around the city they were able to repair around a half a dozen places that had flooding.

“I try to be a very good steward of the public's money,” Detweiler said. “I understand every body (works) very hard for their money. No one likes paying taxes. And, I think it’s on our backs to at the very least be very good stewards of the public's money. And, I take that very seriously. I really enjoy ... looking for those opportunities to help people.”

The City Council "appoints" a mayor in April, following the election, for a one-year term.

We also spoke with Richard Green who said he is running for city council because he was trying to start his own business and he had some difficulty doing that.

“What prompted me to run for city council is trying to start my own business and it seems like it was hard for a new business to start up in Kirksville because of different ordinances that they have,” Green said.

A hard surface parking lot was a big issue for him in starting his business.

“I have a spot for about two or three hard surface parking spots,” Green said. “If they would have given me a temporary license until I could construct the parking lot that would have been great. They didn't flat out say no, they just said that I needed that to be able to start the business.”

Green said the process of starting a business needs to be easier.

“We need more small business in this town, and (there are) not enough of them,” Green said. “A bicycle repair shop is what I’m trying to do, and there’s no competition for me at all, and there hasn't been for more than ten years in this town. I just think they should make it easier for a business like this to get started in Kirksville.”