As potential candidates file signed petitions to run for council, five Ames residents have announced plans to vie for a council seat.

Councilmen Steve Goodhue and Riad Mahayni have announced intentions to defend their current positions, representing the second and fourth ward respectively. No one has announced plans to challenge Goodhue’s place, but Joe Paulson, 3213 West St., will try to oust Mahayni from his seat.

Mahayni has served on the council since January, when he took over Herman Quirmbach’s seat. Quirmbach was elected to the Iowa House.

Paulson said Mahayni’s seat on the council could be construed as an advantage, but since he was not elected to the seat he does not see it as a huge advantage.

“He has to start from the ground running like I do,” Paulson said.

Mahayni said his experience over the last seven months will help him in some aspects.

“Being on the council gives me a feel for what is happening in the city,” Mahayni said.

Goodhue said his current position on the council gives him knowledge of current initiatives and how the council operates.

“I’ve served four years on the council,” Goodhue said. “I think I’ve done a good job.”

Goodhue said he would like to see the council focus on its current issues.

“I would like to see a continued focus on the council’s priorities,” Goodhue said.

Despite his time on the council, Mahayni said his background will be a bigger asset to the city.

“I have had many years of experience and have held a variety of jobs all over the place,” he said.

“I have never been so prepared for a job as I have for this one.”

Paulson said he thinks his background will also benefit Ames.

“Coming from a rural background, I thought Ames was a fantastic community,” he said. “I bring a lot of solid leadership characteristics and good values that would be an asset to the council.”

Mahayni said student votes could affect the outcome of the fourth ward because some students do live in the area.

Students and the council generally have good relations, he said.

“A few things could be improved [between students and the council] and I will work on improving those,” he added.

Mahayni has two sons who attend Iowa State.

Paulson said for students to make a difference, they need to get out and vote.

“When I was in college, I voted,” Paulson said. “I wish more [students] would get out there and do it.”

Paulson said he is also interested in exploring the options of the Ames Land Use Policy, which he considers a “living document.”

“We need to look at what is in the land use plan and see how it affects the town and make changes where needed along the way,” he said.

Making Ames the hub of biotechnology is one of the focuses of candidates running for the at-large seat.

Monte Parrish, 1511 Stone Brooke Rd., said he would like to see the city implement the Vision Ames Program.

The Vision Ames program has a goal of increasing the quality of life in Ames, particularly through biotechnology, he said.

“Vision Ames is about quality of life aspects and growing the city economically, with a goal of being a leader in biotechnology,” Parrish said.

Mary Ann Lundy, 4316 Phoenix St., echoed Parrish’s ideas about Vision Ames.

“[The Vision program] talks about the growth of Ames, especially in the bio-tech area,” she said. “Ames needs to grow.”

Parrish said he would like to see more of the studies like Vision Ames put into place.

“People are frustrated because all we do is study things and never do anything about it,” he said.

“I will use the resources we have now at Iowa State and devise ways that can develop products that are needed and useful.”

Lundy said another reason she is running is because Councilwoman Judie Hoffman encouraged her.

Hoffman announced earlier this month she would not seek another term. She has held the at-large seat since 1986.

Lundy’s experience with budgets will be an asset for her, Lundy said.

She teaches adult night classes in business and finance at William Penn College.

“It never hurts to get that kind of experience on the council,” Lundy said.

Parrish said he is running because there is currently no representation for small businesses on the Ames City Council. After asking other people to try for the position, he said he decided to run himself.

“Someone accused me once of this, and it is probably true — I give a damn,” he said.