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Joplin's
mayor finds new job 'exciting' City Editor Selected
by his peers, Richard Russell, Joplin's mayor, assumed this office in
April 2002. Joplin's
form of government is unique in that the people of the city elect nine
members to a council and those members elect a mayor. This form of
government is a city manager type. This means the mayor and the rest of
the council have jobs on the side; the mayor doesn't work fulltime for
the city. He does, however, receive a stipend for expenses related to
the position. "There's
a lot of work and effort that goes into being the mayor - places to be
and things to do," Russell said. He
said along with the duties of a council member, the mayor must sign
documents, meet with incoming industrial developers and represent the
city of Joplin in certain state affairs. A
Joplin native, who was born and raised in the area, Russell said the
community has always been good to him. He has worked amid the people of
Joplin since he was 13 years old. He graduated from Joplin High School
in 1958 as class president. He attended Joplin Junior College and then
joined the Navy around 1960 with some of his "buddies." "We
were trying to be heroes or something," Russell said. He
spent seven years in the Navy and 23 year as a reservist. Russell went
on to work in customer service at Empire District Electric Co., in
Joplin, for 30 years. He also did some consulting work for the state. After
an early retirement, Russell realized he needed to be around people.
"I have a general feeling for the heartbeat of the city and the
people who live in it," he said. Russell
said he is not a "born politician." His political journey
began eight years ago when he heard the city council was looking to fill
member vacancies. "It
wasn't my intent until I was sitting at the traffic light and heard it
on the radio," he said. Russell
went to City Hall and filled out the application. He is now serving his
seventh year on the council. "It's
exciting," he said. "I think my resum of life brings
something to the table, and I am willing to share those experiences with
the city. "Hopefully,
I will do no worse than my predecessors and hopefully do as good." Along
with all his professional attributes, Russell likes to have fun in life. "It's
too short not to have fun along the way," he said. "I look at
life like the glass is half full and not half empty." Russell
has three children who live in or near Joplin. All three attended
Missouri Southern - two graduating from the College and the other from
Southwest Missouri State University. One of his sons, after graduating
from Southern, went on to become a Navy pilot. "He
made his way through when people from other major universities washed
out and couldn't cut it," Russell said. "I think that says
something about Missouri Southern." Russell
has four grandchildren. He
said his days are long and being mayor demands time. He will not be
mayor again because of the demands of the position. He still has one
year and four months left on his term. Currently, Russell is the
executive director for the Area Agency on Aging, which serves Jasper,
Newton, Barton and MacDonald counties. Beverly
Scroggins, community services director for the Area Agency on Aging,
said Russell is a person who makes time for everybody. "He
is always there for us, for anybody," she said. "He will
always do his best to help people if they need it." "If
I can make life better for one person, then it will have made it all
worth it," Russell said. "Other people get you where you are;
you can't do it by yourself." |