New Storm Lake Councilor Vows to Bridge University and City Divide

Richard Riner is stepping into public service this afternoon, taking the oath of office during a special Storm Lake City Council session. A Buena Vista University associate professor of criminology and criminal justice and a former Arkansas police officer, Riner will formally begin his first four year term in January after winning a seat in last month’s combined city and school elections.

Riner said his immediate priority is to listen to residents and colleagues as he settles into the role. He decided to run late in the filing period after realizing no one had submitted nomination papers for the seat, and he acknowledged he was surprised by the outcome on election night. That sequence highlights a recurring local concern about candidate recruitment and civic engagement when positions go uncontested until the last moment.

Policy and institutional implications follow from Riner’s professional background. His experience in law enforcement and in policy analysis gives him technical familiarity with public safety protocols and regulatory review, which he says will inform how he evaluates council decisions. For residents, that could mean more detailed scrutiny of policing, emergency response and regulatory proposals, but it also raises questions for the council about balancing academic perspective with community priorities.

Riner framed one practical starting point as improving relations between Storm Lake and the university. He said he hopes to bridge what he calls the "town and gown divide" and pointed to student volunteers who helped direct traffic at the city’s Miracle on Lake Avenue parade earlier this month as an example of productive collaboration. Building on such cooperation could expand volunteer capacity for city events and create new channels for student civic participation, while the council will need to set clear expectations to protect public safety and municipal resources.

Residents should expect Riner to emphasize listening and trust building in upcoming council deliberations. As he takes his seat, the city faces the task of translating his academic and enforcement experience into policy outcomes that reflect the priorities of diverse Storm Lake neighborhoods, university stakeholders and the council as a whole.