An ISU student has decided to run for a seat on the Ames City Council because he believes key issues have not been addressed well by the council.

Ryan Doll, senior in political science, said the new mall is one of those issues and a major factor in his decision to seek the third ward seat.

“There are a lot of people who don’t like the way it is being handled. They don’t know a lot about it,” he said. “I don’t think that side of the issue has been given the attention that it needs.”

Doll also said the council needs to pay more attention to the opinions of Ames residents.

“The people of Ames care deeply about the future of our city. The council must reach out and create opportunities for citizen input so it understands what direction Ames should be heading,” he said.

Doll said new development surrounding Ada Hayden Park is also an issue to be concerned with.

“Every time the city builds a new park, developers are interested in it,” he said. “[The city] needs to focus on how they develop it out there.”

Doll said his experience as a student and his involvement with the city will help to bring a new perspective to the city council.

“I’ve been in Ames for eight years,” he said. “The council is separate from Ames, it helped me decide to run.”

Doll said all Ames residents deserve a chance to participate in city government.

“I believe that Ames is one of the greatest cities in the state, but we can still do better,” he said. “My vision for Ames includes fostering an environment where cooperation and compromise happen, and a community where every resident’s voice is heard and considered, regardless of background or circumstance.”

Doll was an organizer of the special election last spring, in which residents voted against lowering city council terms to two years. He is currently a member of the Government of the Student Body, where he was recognized last year as GSB senator of the year. Doll also plans to begin graduate school at Iowa State next year.