2 face off in Troy council fight

The Republican primary race May 2 for Troy City Council’s 5th Ward features incumbent Bill Twiss and challenger William Rozell.

No other candidate has filed for the seat, though an independent could still seek the position.

Twiss, 41, is a Troy native in his second term on council. He said his goal is to keep the city a great place to live work and play.

“Having four young children, I feel it is my duty as a councilman to preserve the quality of life for both my family and other Trojans,” Twiss said.

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Rozell, 57, is making his first bid for elected public office.

“It may sound corny, but Troy truly is a great place to have been raised, to live, and I want to be part of ensuring that continues,” Rozell said.

Being retired from the state auditor’s office, he has time to do the council job, he said.

The top issues facing the city include continued economic growth, Twiss said.

“I want to maintain a strong, working relationship with current businesses in Troy,” he said. He said he’s seen industries expand immensely such as Clopay, ConAgra, ARC Abrasives and F&P America.

“In addition to this growth, I want to continue to support small local businesses that make Troy unique,” Twiss said.

Other issues include safety and crime prevention, he said. “I have worked diligently to support the outstanding police and fire departments that we are blessed to have here in Troy. While they continue to receive high accreditations, I want to make sure the departments are fully supported and have the resources needed to be prepared to deal with the changing safety and crime issues Troy is now facing,” Twiss said.

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Rozell said the top issues facing the city include medical marijuana.

“While this has been decided at the present, I believe it will continue to be an issue that will be brought back to council in the future,” he said, adding he’d be willing to revisit the issue once the state has rules and guidelines established and enacted. The council recently voted to ban medical marijuana cultivating, processing and dispensing within the city limits.

Other issues Rozell identified include the city budget. “I believe it is each council member’s responsibility to prudently review proposed expenditures to ensure that the city maintains its solid financial footing.”

Another issue is safety, Rozell said, noting that while day-to-day safety is the administration’s responsibility, the council needs to ensure necessary personnel, equipment and technology are provided to maintain safety of employees and the citizens.

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