Editor’s Note: In an effort to provide information to local voters regarding the April 7 election, the Republican-Times has asked each candidate for contested Trenton City Council races to provide information about themselves. Today’s story features candidates for the two-year second ward position.
Larry Porter
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Larry Porter is a first-time candidate for the second ward council position.
A native of Trenton, he is a 1986 graduate of Trenton High School. He works for Jon C. Moore Trucking. He has been married to his wife, Shelly for 28 years and they have two children, Tasha and Dakota.
Why are you running for this position?
“I feel that there needs to be a change in who seeks these positions. The younger generation needs to be a part of what Trenton is, too.”
Matt Walker
Matt Walker is seeking the office of second ward councilman for the first time. A 1991 graduate of Trenton High School, he currently works at the Green Hills Regional Planning Commission, where he has worked the past 15 years. He has also worked for the Trenton Park Department and Grundy County Sheriff’s Department. He attended school in St. Joseph, then became a licensed EMT and worked in Kansas City. He moved back to work for the RPC. He also is involved with organizing a Community Emergency Response Team in Grundy County.
Why are you running for this position?
“I became aware that our current second ward council man was filing to run for mayor and his seat was open, so I decided to put my name in the hat.
“I have no particular issue of contention that prompted me to do so, though I will say I have never been a fan of the “breed ban” ordinance that was implemented a few years ago. I have never owned any of the breeds and it doesn’t directly affect me but I feel it is an overbearing restriction being inflicted on the entire population of the city because some minority of the populace has caused harm through ignorance, negligence or malice. I found it disheartening that in a community where a solid majority of people clearly see gun control legislation as an infringement on personal freedom and an abandonment of the concept of personal accountability, so many failed to see that breed ban legislation is exactly that. I am not alone in my distaste for this particular ordinance, and I would support revisiting that issue in whatever venue would be most appropriate.
“However, as I said, it was not that issue in particular or any other that prompted me to run for city council. It was the notion that we all need to play a bigger part in the political process than that of mere spectators – ‘We the people’ have been derelict in our duty as citizens and most of our problems these days are what we have to show for it.
“I saw an opportunity to play a part in the process.”