Mayor vows to walk all of the roads in Kirksville

Kirksville Mayor Zac Burden made an announcement that he would walk all 110 miles of roads in Kirksville to deepen his knowledge of local residents’ “slice of Kirksville”  Feb. 2.

The announcement came during the State of the City address hosted by the Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce on campus in the Kirk Memorial Building. 

“It’s a part of a long-term goal of just making sure that there are opportunities for me to engage with people in the community,” Burden said. “If leaders aren’t willing to engage, I’m not sure what it is that they’re really doing.”

Burden has already started walking across Kirksville, starting in the neighborhood northwest of downtown. During that walk, Burden said the interactions with the residents were positive and he claimed to have helped a resident look for their missing dog. 

Burden is announcing the areas that he plans to walk on his Facebook @ZacInGovernment. Burden said he plans to do these walks after his shift at Truman State University as the Director of Citizenship and Conduct around 5 p.m. by riding his bike to areas too far to walk to, and then walking in the neighborhood.

Burden said he was not worried about walking at night in Kirksville because he has never felt unsafe in Kirksville. Burden has been riding his bike and walking across Kirksville long before the plan to walk all the roads and said he’s never had an issue.

Kirksville resident Greg Xander said he was not aware of the Mayor’s plan to walk the roads, but said the idea was a good way to connect to the Kirksville community and the environment.

“That’s beautiful,” Xander said about Burden’s plan. “It’s different from running inside on a track. I think you’re taking it all in and you’re closer to God.”

During the address, Burden not only pledged to walk but updated Kirksville residents on the growth of Kirksville and advocated for a new 25 year $00.00375 sales tax on all products to fund two new fire stations and a new police station up for residents to vote upon April 7.

Burden said during the speech that the tax proposal has the complete support of the City Council. The new buildings are being proposed as the current buildings are not effective enough for Kirksville, with Burden urging residents to support a tax to avoid putting officers in danger or residential losses.