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Ken Baer says he wants to continue serving his city.
Baer, 74, is in his third term as mayor of the City of Perryville, and last month, he said he hadn’t made up his mind about seeking another term. Last week, he did.
“Plain and simple, I just decided to continue to serve the people of Perryville,” Baer said, “with dedication, as I have been doing, and with the talent I have and also with humility. It is just a very, very fulfilling job. And it’s very important also that we have people step up and do that. And that’s why I did it.”
Baer was first elected in 2014, defeating incumbent mayor Debbie Gahan.
He said last week he’s eager to continue serving the city.
“We’ve done some really good things over the years,” Baer said. “Upgrading our infrastructure is the reason I ran the first time. We’ve worked on water lines, sewer lines and waste water and wastewater plants — we’ve got a lot of that in process right now. Those will serve our people well into the future in that way. We’ve got a capital improvement plan now that we’ve put in place over the last few years to enhance that process. And I want to help guide that along.”
Baer said he had simple goals when he was first elected, ones that he plans to continue pursuing if re-elected.
“My background is public works and engineering and government service,” Baer said. “I was in the military and I worked for the government for a while. I had my own business. I guess my expertise and my talents led me to believe that I could serve the people of Perryville quite well. I thought that we could be doing a better job of maintaining our infrastructure and I thought I could help move that along.”
Since he was first elected, Baer has not faced an opponent, but this year will be different. Former Immanuel Lutheran pastor Thomas Handrick, 71, officially declared his candidacy last month.
Handrick, who has been making a habit of attending the city’s Board of Aldermen meetings, said before Tuesday’s meeting, “It’s good for the people to have a choice.”
“Perryville has been very good to us,” Handrick, a Perryville resident since 2005, said after announcing his candidacy last month. “We’ve watched it develop. We’ve watched it grow. It’s a tight-knit community and not always easy for outsiders to integrate, but we’ve been accepted. And what I want to do is, in the context of serving, give back to the community, show my thanks and gratitude for what we’ve received from it over 14 years.”
Baer, a civil engineer and former Navy commander, officially retired more than a decade ago, handing over the reins of his business, Baer Engineering, to his son, Tim Baer, who serves as the city engineer.
That engineering background, Baer says, is what drives his passion for public works. During his time as mayor, Baer said one particular project has been in the forefront of his mind, one addressing the city’s sidewalk situation, especially in those areas that don’t have them.
“The last community survey we did, 80 percent of the people want sidewalks in this town,” Baer said. “And I think it’s important to be a more walkable community. We have a lot of sidewalks now, but 80 percent of people want more. One of my plans is to implement a process where as people who want sidewalks will get them. If you don’t want one there, we won’t. We won’t put one in front of your house.”
Bear said his goal is to create a friendlier city.
“Walkable communities are important,” Baer said. “It makes our communities more friendly, and you get to know your neighbors better if you’re out walking the streets and walking the sidewalks.”
In addition, he said he has his eye on making the city more attractive.
“Our city is very beautiful as it is, but I think we can enhance that more with more landscaping, more trees and more natural areas,” Baer said. “You know, where native grasses, wildflowers and grow and thrive, birds and bees and butterflies live in.”
The general municipal election is scheduled for April 7.
