(Red Oak) -- KMA News continues its "Meet the Candidates" series, featuring the candidates running in key races in the November general elections. Today's report features the incumbent in the Red Oak mayor's race, Bill Billings Jr.
A Shenandoah High School graduate, Billings worked for Browns Shoe Fit before attending college at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Central Oklahoma. A new business venture brought him back to Red Oak in 1992. Billings and wife Michelle have three children and six grandchildren. First elected as mayor in 2011, Billings seeks his sixth term in office. Speaking on KMA's "Morning Line" program Friday morning, Billings says he's running for reelection to finish some projects underway. Chief among those projects is improved fiber optics services in the community. The incumbent mayor is working with a team of experts to address broadband issues.
"We have our IT specialist from the hospital, Terry Koppa, who is also a city councilman," said Billings, " as well as Bret Blackman, who is vice president of communications for the University of Nebraska systems--that is UNK, UNO and UNL. He's involved in this world everyday, as well as our current Montgomery County Development Corporation Executive Director Steve Adams, and Jason Orme, who is a young man who has moved back to Red Oak, as well."
Another project concerns improving the community's housing situation. Billings says at least one spec house is under construction in the community. In addition, renovation of the city's former middle school building into an apartment complex continues. Still, he calls the city's current housing stock "very low."
"We need to take advantage of the fact that we love on Highway 34," he said, "and that we have a direct route to the city of Omaha, the city of Council Bluffs, and try to attract more people to move here by developing a housing addition we have on the north side of town that is very attractive, very reasonable and very accessible."
Billings adds the city continues its efforts to improve Red Oak's infrastructure.
"We currently have a million-plus dollar street project happening with some of our major thoroughfares in the community," said Billings. "We did a few years ago put together a five-year plan for our street projects. We went through the entire city, and had an evaluation done, and grading of our streets, and we were able to prioritize that project, as such. And, every year, we've been addressing that."
Billings also touts the city's improved economic development efforts that are bringing more businesses to town. You can hear the full interview with Bill Billings with the webstory here:
