MUSCATINE, Iowa – Mayor Dick O’Brien had mixed emotions Tuesday.

He was excited because it was his 83rd birthday. He was anxious because it was also Election Day.

In the end, he got the present he wanted: An eighth term as Muscatine’s mayor.

“I’m waiting in anticipation,” O’Brien said Tuesday afternoon.

After the polls had closed and the votes had been counted, he sat back with friends, enjoying pizza and thanking them for their hard work on his campaign.

“When you run for election, you’re a little keyed up and nervous,” he said. “Today has been very special, and now that the results are in everyone is much more relaxed.”

O’Brien said he enjoys the excitement of bringing new people on  to the Muscatine City Council. He’s seen many faces after 14 years at the helm.

“Good ideas and motivation are essential,” O’Brien said of those who ran against him or for seats on the Council. This year, he defeated Dawnese Openshaw and Kim Otto.

“That’s a part of becoming part of city government,” he said. “Good for them, they want to become involved.”

To keep active with residents, O’Brien hosts the radio and television show “City Talk,” on KWPC, AM 860, while also serving on the Humane Society Advisory Board and the Muscatine Community College Alumni Association.

As Election night loomed and results were still hours away, O’Brien said ongoing projects and short-term goals are still what keep Muscatine’s future bright.

“The renovation of our riverfront and working with the people have always been big things for me,” O’Brien said. “It keeps me busy but busy makes it fun.”                         

Taking off the hat

It’s not easy being mayor, but O’Brien sure seems to enjoy it.

He’s disappointed, he said, when he finds he didn’t return a phone call to a concerned resident right away.

“I try to be available as much as I can,” he said.

Because the Council members’ roles and responsibilities are so well-defined, O’Brien said, the role of mayor is more flexible and open to interpretation, depending on the person serving.

“The role of mayor is what you make it,” he said. “You’ve got to roll with the punches.”

But when he has the chance to hang his mayor hat at the door, he enjoys golfing, working out at the YMCA, and spending time with his dachshund, Penelope Louise, or Penny Lou for short.

“I don’t play enough golf,” he said. “I just try to stay busy. I like being available to the people; to both citizens and the Council.”

The road ahead

O’Brien said the future of Muscatine is simple: It must continue to make itself beautiful.

With infrastructure, the renovated sewer system and the U.S. Highway 61 Corridor Project, O’Brien hopes to see new life in the downtown district.

The quiet downtown and empty shops have been a concern, but O’Brien said Muscatine’s downtown is “not unique.”

“This is throughout the United States,” he said. “They will revitalize when the economy starts its long-expected turnaround.”

As the budget belt becomes tighter in Muscatine, however, O’Brien is aware of the “tough decisions” that will be made by Council.

“We’re always interested in how our tax money is spent,” O’Brien said as a Muscatine resident. “Anytime you don’t understand, come to us. We want you to understand.”