KILLEEN, Texas (KXXV) — Josh Crawford hopped in the car with Killeen City Councilman Riakos Adams. They took a drive, and Adams gave him perspective on the city’s future while learning from the experiences of larger Texas cities.
“We’re in a perfect opportunity to have observed the pitfalls that Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio went through, because in about 50 years, Killeen is going to be like those cities,” Adams said during a recent ride-along interview.
A key part of Adams’ vision is ensuring that the city’s 2040 Downtown Plan doesn’t overshadow growth in other areas.
“At what point in downtown revitalization do we continue that, but we trigger revitalizing another part? And we must rely on citizens if we don’t see that, ‘Hey, you guys are forgetting about my neighborhood,’” Adams said.
Public engagement is another area Adams is passionate about improving. With only 40,000 of Killeen’s 100,000 eligible voters registered, he sees a need for greater participation. “One of the things I’d like to see better is public engagement. The city is growing, and you don’t want one percent of the city saying [voting for all, a hundred percent,” he said.
Adams also expressed concerns about local elections becoming partisan. “One of my fears is that our local elections become partisan, and that should never happen, because potholes don’t have a political party, lost animals don’t have a political party, schools should not have a political party, none of that,” he said.
Looking ahead, Adams highlighted the council’s upcoming budget discussions as a critical priority. “We have our budget coming up. We have to figure out in our current economic situation whether we need to cut or add things. I will tell you, in the next couple of months, there will be some key things. Can we finish the things we started with our money?” he said.
Adams focuses on bringing a general grocery store to North Killeen among his many economic and growth initiatives. He sees this as a vital step in addressing the community's needs and fostering neighborhood growth.
