The Indianola City Council gave city staff direction to change the South K Street Paving Project after feedback from the public and property owners in the area, and City Manager Ben Reeves said that is how the process is supposed to work. Reeves said the city had a plan in place, but the local government listened to the residents as they are supposed to do, and altered the plan to best fit the desires of the community they serve.

“Government closest to the people is the best government. Where you can have direct accessibility to council members and the mayor, your city staff, that is where the government works best. I really appreciate the residents coming out to the public meetings, I really appreciate the council calling some of those meetings that weren’t required, and I appreciate all the independent meetings that were held in people’s backyards and the neighborhoods and email exchanges. Ultimately, we want to make the very best decision possible. That takes a lot of different voices coming together and coming up with a plan that works best for the community.”

To listen to the full interview, click below.