BISMARCK, ND ( KXNET ) — He ran to help lead the city of Bismarck — and this week, new city commissioner John Risch will sit at the table for the first time.

More than 7,000 neighbors in Bismarck voted for Risch in last month’s primary election.

Risch is a retired railroad engineer, trade union rep, and insurance company director who says he felt compelled to run for office after he became disappointed with how the city handled an investigation into the former Bismarck Event Center director.

“They dragged it out for eight months,” he stated. “It shouldn’t have been dragged out whatsoever. The head of the event center was terminated by the city administrator for cause, that should have been the end of it. He had his right to appeal that decision to the Civil Service Commission, and you know, whatever would have happened there, I would have supported — but they dragged it out for eight months, and it just cost the city a lot of money.”

Risch was voted in along with Michael Connelly, who was elected to serve another term.

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