Benedikt Middleton wants to change how people view community involvement. “I think there is this idea that to be a member of the city council, you have to be of a certain position in the community,” said Middleton. “I know, growing up, that was the way I felt.” As the newly appointed Iola City Council member to Ward 4, Middleton hopes to see a change in this outlook. Being semi-retired, Middleton worked for 32 years with the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) as an engineering technician specialist. He now does remote consulting work for an engineering firm based in Arkansas. Middleton was appointed to the vacant Ward 4 seat at the July 8 council meeting. The seat had previously been held by Mark Peters who resigned in late April.
In his new role, Middleton hopes to serve as the “ears and voice” of the ward. “I think I should have ‘ears’ to listen to those in my ward, and then ‘voice’ what I hear,” he said.
Source: The Iola Register
