St. Joseph native and previous City Councilman Gary Wilkinson re-running for seat

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- After three previous terms on the St. Joseph City Council, and one stint as Deputy Mayor, Gary Wilkinson is no stranger to local government.

But the lifelong St. Joseph resident says he's not returning to politics for the title.

"I don't think we're living up to our potential right now," Wilkinson said. "That's one of the reasons I got involved back into politics, to see if we can get things going again."

Wilkinson, who first took office in 1986, enters the council race with a lengthy record of accomplishments he helped spearhead during his previous tenure, like the city's emergency medical technicians program, the hike and bike trails, the establishment of council districts, and the Tips Hotline, among others.

He also served on the Charter Commission that wrote the city's current governing document and worked on the committee that earned St. Joseph the "All-American City" designation from the National League of Cities.

His experience extends beyond elected office as well, as Wilkinson served as superintendent of streets in University City, Missouri, from 2004 to 2011, overseeing snow removal, pothole repair, sidewalks, curbs and street lighting, practical knowledge he says would benefit his hometown.

"I'm a lifelong citizen," Wilkinson said. "I attended schools here, raised a family here, and I maintain that the city offers a unique blend of livability that is not found in many other places."

Wilkinson identifies several key priorities for the city, beginning with what he calls a foundational challenge: community attitude.

"One of them is our attitude, when we wake up in the morning and look into that collective mirror, our outlook should be one of 'yes we can' instead of 'here we go again,'" he said.

On infrastructure, he proposes developing a 10-year street repair and replacement strategy with comprehensive funding approaches for residential and industrial development.

He also advocates for upgrading sidewalk and curbing standards, with the city taking responsibility for construction and ongoing maintenance to improve overall community appearance.

Regarding vacant and abandoned properties, Wilkinson calls for an up-to-date listing accompanied by "an aggressive program of making property owners accountable for bringing these properties up to code."

He notes that some landlords use these structures as tax write-offs while they deteriorate.

Affordable housing remains a concern, particularly for younger buyers.

Wilkinson suggests better management of existing residential stock to reduce sub-code buildings, combined with construction of mid-range units at accessible price points.

Wilkinson emphasizes that all governmental entities must work together to maximize limited resources in a city of St. Joseph's size.

He acknowledges ongoing challenges with the school district but urges forward motion.

"Our issues with the school district date back to a time and place that we need to move on from," he said. "It's time for the here and now."

He notes that while dedicated teachers work diligently, "an unwillingness to look beyond past administration failures, and the inability to develop a consensus on a comprehensive, long-range planning strategy, is hampering efforts for the school district to move forward."

Wilkinson stresses that the city is not so large that it can dilute valuable education resources between competing groups, and both public and private education remain important factors in developing youth.

To retain people and businesses, Wilkinson argues the city must become more attractive across multiple dimensions, from material resources and transportation availability to skilled workers and efficient government.

"Businesses and people tend to gravitate to areas that are friendly and amenable to their wants and needs," he said.

Families want communities where they feel comfortable from both safety and leisure standpoints, with opportunities for children to learn and advance.

He also raises concerns about career advancement, noting that skilled workers and talented executives sometimes look to larger communities to the south. The city must compete effectively to retain that talent.

On the question of taxes, Wilkinson argues that residents' willingness to invest in their community ties directly to the trust placed in leadership.

"Streets, sanitation, public health and safety, these are all essential for communities to thrive and grow," he said. "It has been my experience in this community that when a need is identified, and plans for addressing that need are brought before the citizens in a forthright and transparent manner, St. Joseph residents will respond appropriately."

He points to recently passed public safety and teacher salary taxes as evidence that residents support efficient investments when they trust how money will be used.

Wilkinson describes himself as a team player who believes five individuals working as a unit can accomplish more than five attacking problems separately. He considers diverse perspectives valuable rather than problematic.

"Differences of opinion are not a bad thing if you are looking at something from only one perspective," he said. "The important thing is for the leadership to be able to form a consensus of what's good for the whole community."

He says that ability to form consensus may be something the city has lacked recently, and he hopes to help change that.

Wilkinson now sees an opportunity to address current problems with the same can-do attitude he brought to past initiatives.

Through it all, he emphasizes keeping citizens involved in the process.

"Municipal functions are funded by taxpayer dollars, and community engagement is vitally important in promoting the partnership between citizen and government," he said. "Technological advancements and societal changes will continue to present challenges for cities, and therefore operational transparency and citizen participation in the decision-making process is an important factor in developing trust."

"I'm someone who has a proven record of being able to get things done. St. Joe hasn't reached its potential. I'm ready to get back on and get the train back on track and get St. Joe rolling again."

City Council elections are April 7th.