Election Profiles: Derek Grier, Candidate for Chesterfield City Council

Biographical Information

• Name, age and address: Derek Grier, 31, Chesterfield
• Occupation: Manager, Corporate Services, Cassidy Turley
• Education: BA in Business Administration, Principia College
• Family: Wife: Ashley; Son: Coming soon in April!
• Years lived in Chesterfield: 26 

Questions

What do you think are the biggest issues addressing the city of Chesterfield? As a member of the council, how would you address them?  

Chesterfield is one of the greatest cities in the country, which is evidenced by our robust economy, high quality of life, tremendous parks system, world class police force, and strong City services.  Not losing focus of the bigger picture and all that makes us great will continue to be a focus.

In what area do you think the city of Chesterfield needs to improve? Are you satisfied with the way city government has been operating?

I sometimes joke that if Washington would just use Chesterfield as a model, our country would be in much better shape!  I think we do a great job in Chesterfield, particularly from a financial standpoint and spending money wisely.  Every year we produce a balanced budget, we have adequate reserves, and the City officials you have now work hard to cut costs to be more efficient.

What role do you think city government should play in promoting economic growth?

I feel strongly it is not the job of the government to drive the economy. As a City we can certainly work to be business friendly, but to me that means getting out of the way to allow business to succeed on its own, to let the economy drive itself.  

When considering the city's budget, what programs do you think should be prioritized? How would you decide what should be cut, if such a move was needed?

Essential services should always be a priority - roads, infrastructure, and police protection.  If education were a part of our budget, I would certainly have that at the top of the list as well.  Thankfully, the downsizing of the City that took place several years ago helped put us in a place of financial stability.

What contributions have you made to the community and how do you see yourself using those experiences if elected?

I certainly hope my time on Council has been productive, that I have been able to make the City a better place and served its citizens well.  I look forward to another 2 years of continuing to work hard to keep this a great place for my kids to live (our first is due in April!)

What's your favorite place to eat in Chesterfield?

Matador Mexican Restaurant.