I am no expert on city government. My understanding of how a city’s council members interact with other city officials and the public to create a better community for everyone is limited.

But I know Matthew Goodman, candidate for the open at-large seat on the Ames City Council. He has everything it takes to be an excellent representative of the community.

Having worked for him at the Campustown gyro stand, I have seen first-hand the integrity with which he runs his business. Anyone who has visited the gyro stand knows that every person he encounters is treated fairly, with dignity and respect.

Matthew also possesses the most important part of being an effective representative — a genuine love of Ames. After finishing his undergraduate and master’s degree program, he could have gone anywhere else to pursue a career in his field and his business would have been successful wherever he went. But Matthew chose to stay in Ames because he truly loves and believes in the community and is dedicated to making it a better place for everybody.

As a former student of Iowa State, Matthew feels a strong connection to the student body and maintains a firm relationship with the academic community. Through involvement in neighborhood interest groups and his own local business, he has become part of the nonacademic side of Ames as well.

It is this link that makes Matthew an ideal candidate for City Council. By being a part of both the student and nonstudent communities, he will be able to look at city issues from both perspectives, making it easier for the entire council to resolve them.

Joshua Herbolsheimer

Alumnus