Recent graduate hopes to connect city with campus life

Three months ago, Ray Arnold was attending classes at Eastern, taking exams and serving as the academic affairs chair for the Student Senate.These days, however, his interest in government has taken the 25-year-old political science major into deeper waters: He's running for a coveted seat on the Richmond City Commission.

Arnold, who graduated last fall, faces some steep odds. So far, 15 other candidates have tossed their hats into the ring leading up to the May 18 primary. Of those, the eight candidates who collect the most votes will then move on to the Nov. 2 general election.

But Arnold isn't discouraged by the odds. A lifelong Richmond resident, Arnold said he hopes to build a grassroots campaign, capitalizing on his ties to the university and expanding those connections into the surrounding area.

"No one cares about the students of Eastern and the people of Richmond more than Ray Arnold," said Zac Caldwell, a senior advocate of Arnold who also serves in the Student Senate.

Arnold, who currently works as a manager at Jimmy John's sub shop, is the youngest candidate in the running this term. But Arnold said he views his youth as a virtue, saying he would like to encourage the university community to take a greater interest in city affairs.

"I want to be the voice of the new generation," Arnold said. "I know there will have to be a transition at some point, and I would like to give our generation more of a voice."

While at Eastern, Arnold served for four years in the Student Senate. He also interned at both the Madison County Extension Office and at Rep. Ben Chandler's office in Washington, D.C. He said this gave him an opportunity to see how government works at several different levels.

He said he's running for a Richmond seat because he wants to see the city become more fiscally responsible in how it spends taxpayer dollars. He said that the city budget has been poorly monitored, resulting in negative financial repercussions for the citizens.

"As we grow, we need to be as far-sighted as possible, thinking two or three generations down the road rather than our immediate interests," he said.

Arnold said he'd prefer to see the city invest in smaller things, such as sidewalks, which have a greater impact for greater numbers. "If you're somewhere in the city, and you want to get somewhere else in the city, walking should always be an option" said Arnold, adding that these low-cost assets can have a positive impact, making the city more inviting and accessible.

In addition, Arnold said he wants to see more development of Richmond's downtown area. He said university students seem to have a one-dimensional relationship with the city's Main Street: They usually just go to the bars and then return home. Instead, Arnold said he'd like to see more emphasis on variety within the community.

"I would like to work with the university to find ways to get students to come downtown for more than just drinking," he said. "We need a place to hang out, and not just a place to party."

Arnold and his supporters acknowledge that their challenge over the next few months will be getting his name out beyond the university's borders. His campaign is relying heavily on word of mouth, and his links to Eastern.

"If everybody who knows and loves Ray Arnold tells two friends about why he would be good for the city of Richmond that would be an excellent start," Caldwell said.

However the primary goes, Arnold said he's committed to the city he grew up in.

"I think that we have a lot of assets and a lot of good things going for us," he said. "And there's no reason that we shouldn't be one of the best places to live in the state.