Alissa Zhu

DZHU@NEWS-LEADER.COM

Councilwoman Kristi Fulnecky announced Tuesday she will embark on a listening tour of Springfield, as part of her campaign for mayor.

"I'll be gathering ideas, so if I'm elected I will know how to govern and how to improve the city," Fulnecky told the News-Leader. "I feel like this is (constituents') time to tell me what I should do."

The meetings will be held over the next four consecutive Tuesdays from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m, each in a different zone.

The Zone 1 meeting will be held Oct. 11 at Big Momma's Coffee and Espresso Bar located at 217 E. Commercial St.

The Zone 2 meeting will be held Oct. 18 at Brick & Mortar Coffee located at 1666 E. St. Louis St.

The Zone 3 meeting will be held Oct. 25 at Classic Rock Coffee located at 1900 W. Sunset St.

The Zone 4 meeting will be held Nov. 1 at B2 Cafe located at 2804 E. Battlefield Road.

Fulnecky said she will kick off each meeting by introducing herself, then open it up to constituents.

"If they have a question about my priorities, or if they have a specific issue in their neighborhoods they can bring complaints to this listening tour. They can also offer suggestions. It will be very flexible," Fulnecky said.

When Fulnecky announced she is running for mayor in January — less than a year into her first term on council — she presented a 10-point "Contract with Springfield."

Her contract includes items like ensuring transparency in local government, supporting law enforcement and working with Greene County to find a solution to the overcrowded jail.

It also features points like passing strict panhandling laws (City Council repealed a panhandling ordinance Feburary in an 8-1 vote, after the ACLU filed a lawsuit against the city) and displaying the motto "In God We Trust" in City Council Chambers (a previous proposal to do that died in a council committee last year).

Fulnecky said she will be asking for feedback about her 10-point plan during the listening tour.

"I could change the contract or change my priorities depending on what the constituents say," Fulnecky told the News-Leader.

Fulnecky is a general council member, which means she does not represent a specific zone. She said she invites anyone to come to any or all the meetings.

Fulnecky has received endorsements from both the Springfield Police Officer's Association and the Greene County Deputy Association.

Fellow council member Ken McClure is running against Fulnecky in the mayoral race, to be held in April.

McClure has been endorsed by the Southern Missouri Professional Fire Fighters Association and the Springfield Good Government Committee, which is affiliated with the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce.