Continuing with the City Commission candidate interviews, Ed McDaniel came in for a two minute sitdown. McDaniel says he was born in London Ky, but moved to Richmond fourteen years ago to raise his family. McDaniel cites his family as the reason he decided to run for city government, as he knows Richmond is a great place for family but thinks there are a few things he’d like to see change.
He explains that he is a proud veteran of the U.S Army, and after he left the army he began working in insurance and eventually started his own business.
One of the main issues discussed was the fixing of infrastructure in Richmond. McDaniel says he wants to get started fixing the roads and buildings as soon as possible because the longer that they are neglected, the more expensive to fix they will be.
As with some of the other platforms, McDaniel mentioned the old Armory building on second street, which has been empty for some time. He says the building could be restored and turned into something to serve the police department or a community center.
He also talked about getting a better healthcare plan for city employees, as he believes that his experience in the insurance business will give him an advantage in finding a better plan for all those that work for Richmond. He also wants a raise for firefighters, saying that they are long overdue for one and most certainly deserving as they work a dangerous job. Lastly, McDaniel discussed the need to hire new police officers due to the upcoming retirement of several of Richmond’s current first responders.
