Russell Looks Toward Another Term on City Council

Kim Russell wants to make Rochester a destination city.

That's why she is committed to doing her homework.

Russell, a member of Rochester City Council since 2007, is seeking four more years on City Council, motivated in part by her desire to have a comprehensive understanding of what is happening in the city where she lives and works.

"It's critical that we do our homework and read our packets before the meetings," she said. "I want to bring clarity, not confusion to City Council."

Destination Rochester

in Rochester.

Voters will elect City Council candidates and members of the Rochester Board of Education.

Russell is one of six candidates for four positions on the Rochester City Council. The three candidates who receive the most votes will serve four-year terms; the candidate who finishes in fourth place will serve a two-year term.

Besides Russell, candidates are , , Ann Peterson, Steve Sage and Stan Surratt.

Russell is an entrepreneur and owner of Helro Corp. in Rochester with two grown sons. As a business owner and longtime resident, she said she wants to work to see Rochester continue to grow into a destination.

"I love that you can walk out the door and go to different trails, you can go on a river walk, to the park, to downtown for dinner and see neighbors walk by," she said.

Many people move to Rochester, she said, because of the  so their parents have a place to go. The OPC itself is a gem of the community, she noted.

About the OPC

Russell is the daughter of Marye Miller, director of the OPC. Earlier this fall, Miller and the OPC came under the spotlight in the city when councilmembers voted to send the organization's budget back to the OPC board for review. 

At issue was a pay raise for some OPC employees, a pay raise that has been portrayed as anywhere from 1 percent to 8 percent.

Russell said the pay raise was 1 percent, and that if more councilmembers would have studied their meeting packets, they would have better understood the budget. 

"We have interlocal agreements, and those boards should be trusted with their budgets; they should be able to make their own decisions," she said.

"To watch that budget get sent back ... it was heartbreaking."

Legacy and respect

Russell said she is motivated to continue her work on City Council because she wants to help leave a legacy in the city.

"We have to have strong leadership," she said. "But we also have to have respect. We have smart people who come to us with different ideas and they need to be respected."

For more election news, see the Election page on Rochester Patch.