Ward 5 candidate Bryan Johnson identifies need for ‘storytelling’ on Cape council

Bryan Johnson is running for the Ward 5 seat on the Cape Girardeau City Council in the Tuesday, April 8, election.

Johnson owns the Tee House Complex with his wife and works in food service distribution. Johnson told the Southeast Missourian he loves to tell stories, and some stories need to be told with the City Council and the city's leadership.

"Some of those need to be better stories than what they're telling or telling a story at all. And please don't think story as fictitious; it's just to tell us what's going on," Johnson said.

He said it when it came to the city investing $10.2 million over 17 years for the Houck Stadium project, he didn't think that story was told or it was up "front". Johnson said his two main priorities are public safety and transparency.

Johnson said while not everything the council does may be considered positive, the information should be shared with the residents, whether before or after.

"That, in particular, has upset a whole lot of people, and maybe rightfully so, maybe not, this water (rate increase) thing not passing, I think was another opportunity to let your constituents know and your citizens know, ‘Hey, this is really important,’" he said. "I don't think they did a good enough job of having a cheerleader or two or 12 or just really get all the facts out, do the math for people, walk it all the way out and go, here's what happens if we don't pass this. Here's what happens if we do."

Johnson also described it as a miss for the city not to hold some type of news conference along with the university and the police department following the Cape Central graduation shooting at the Show Me Center.

"I think if somebody has a shooting and they say, ‘Hey, whoa, hold on. This is, this won't happen on our watches, this is totally unacceptable. You have the full confidence of your city leadership, your city law enforcement, that this will never happen again,’" he said.

Johnson said there has been a committee formed to help fund his campaign. Johnson's campaign treasurer is former Mayor Jay Knudtson.

Johnson said he is looking forward to doing some grassroots campaigning and door-to-door work.