Incumbents run for Murray council

The City of Murray has three seats up for re-election this Nov. 7 - two city council positions and mayor. No nomination forms were turned in for the mayoral position, and both names for council are incumbents.

Editor’s note: Responses for city council appear in alphabetical order.

Robert L. Myers

Robert Myers is a candidate for Murray City Council.

Bethany Riemenschneider

Q: In 4-5 sentences, please tell us a little about yourself/your background (such as how long you’ve lived here, education, employment, family, etc.):

A: I graduated from Clarke in 2006 and have lived in Murray for the past 14 years. My husband and I have raised our three children in the Murray school district—two are recent graduates with the classes of 2024 and 2025, and our youngest is currently in 8th grade. I work as thee Purchasing Manager for BUNN in Creston, where I’ve gained valuable experience in leadership and collaboration.

Q: In 2-3 sentences, say why are you running for this seat or seeking reelection? Do you have prior experience?

A: I am seeking reelection this year to continue serving the community. Prior to my current term on the council, I had no formal governmental experience, though I was active on a Community Affairs team at work and served on student council in high school. I feel these experiences helped shape my ability to collectively work with others and strengthened my decision-making skills.

Q: In 4-5 sentences, what are a couple of key issues or projects the city faces right now, and how do you plan to address those issues or projects?

A: The city of Murray was awarded a significant grant to help with the revitalization of our community. With this funding we will be to make some much-needed improvements to the city park, a sidewalk structure that will extend from the park to the school and offer a home revitalization program.

I am committed to ensuring that this project is taken one step at a time and with careful planning and fiscal responsibility to ensure long-term sustainability.

Q: In 2-3 sentences, what qualities do you possess that will make you an asset to the council?

A: I bring strong leadership skills, a big picture mindset, and a thoughtful approach to decision making. These qualities help me to evaluate issues from different angles and work with my fellow councilmen towards solutions that best benefit the entire community.

Q: In 1-2 sentences, what do you like about/what do you want others to know about Murray?

A: Murray is a close-knit community rooted in strong family values, where you’re almost always greeted with a smile or a friendly “how are you?”— whether at Casey’s, a school event or even with a honk and wave as someone drives by. I’m proud to have raised—and continue to raise—my family in this community and proud to be a MUSTANG!