Malay seeks to replace Richards on St. Charles council

The first candidate to publicly announce an interest in replacing St. Charles Fifth Ward Alderman David Richards is a name already well known by many in town.

Richards' seat on the city council is unexpectedly up for election this April. Richards resigned Sunday evening after accepting a plea deal on a disorderly conduct charge last week. On Monday, Kim Malay and a group of residents from the Fifth Ward showed up at the city council meeting to express their gratitude for Richards' service.

Malay also urged Mayor Don DeWitte to either leave Richards' seat open until the April election or fill the vacancy until April with a candidate whom the residents would select by writing letters of support to the mayor. DeWitte and the existing members of the city council are legally bound to fill Richards' seat within 60 days.

In announcing her candidacy, Malay showed she ultimately wants to be the person to succeed Richards. She has been positioning herself for such a role for at least the past two years. Malay created the Near West Neighborhood Association, which was one of the leading voices against redevelopment plans for the old St. Charles Mall property that the council ultimately voted down.

Malay is also a former employee of the city. She served for 14 years in the Community Development Department.

“I know and understand well the inner workings of the city,” Malay said in a written statement announcing her candidacy. “I became well versed in all the departments, their functions, the city's ordinances and the impact of new development projects and redevelopments project. I have consistently educated the residents about the processes, procedures and function of our local government. This has helped the residents understand government function better and feel more comfortable addressing their concerns with the city.”

Malay has also worked with the Downtown St. Charles Partnership, the River Corridor Foundation of St. Charles, the Farnsworth Mansion Foundation, the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Walk and the Bob Leonard Walkathon.

“St. Charles is truly my home,” Malay said. “I will give a voice to the residents of the Fifth Ward, listen to its residents, represent them and encourage the residents to continue to get involved as many have over the last 22 months. I will question with boldness the issues brought before the council to ensure the decisions made are the best for the city and its residents. “

Malay is encouraging residents to e-mail her with their thoughts or concerns at kmalay-5th-ward@att.net.