MUNCIE, Ind. — The future of Muncie is built through the doors of Ball State University. Mayor Dan Ridenour makes it essential to carve out time from his busy schedule to hear students' concerns and feedback.
Hosted by the Ball State Republican and Democratic organizations alongside the Econ club. Allowing students to connect on a deeper level not only to political and community issues but get a better understanding of the values he holds for himself and reflects into the community.
Highlighting his past career in banking has made extreme impacts on how he handles his current position. Those connections, understanding of investments and the overall attitude has helped him navigate and be a part of the population growth within the city of Muncie. Mentioning the future subdivision plans as others in the past have gone much smoother than imagined in which all 34 homes were sold within five months of building.
Discussing the finances of what it takes to run Muncie, Mayor Ridenour mentioned how they pay 400k each year to keep the street lights on. Mentioning they have recently invested in equipment for the Muncie Public Works department to more locally address paving issues around the city.
While the positives may out way the negatives, Ridenour didn’t fail to mention issues he wished had been handled differently or the issues that he regularly faces while in office. Ridenour's ability to be transparent with students allows them to feel more comfortable within the community.
Making appearances such as this students are better understanding of how Ridenour plans to grow Muncie. He encourages students to stay engaged, noting he even offers internships to help shape the future of students in Muncie.
Contact Rayanna Goble with comments at rayanna.goble@bsu.edu.
