Ward 4 is unlike any other ward in Maryland Heights, said the incumbent city council candidate who’s running to retain his spot on the council. Councilman Jim Carver was the only person who filed to run for the Ward 4 spot on city council on Dec. 13.

The ward is filled with residents who care about their city, Carver said. It stretches from the river to east of McKelvey Road. The residents are some of the most vocal in local government and like to stay on top of things. Carver said he fields between 15 and 20 calls each week from concerned citizens.

But that interaction is critical to one of Carver’s goals as a council member.

“I want residents to perceive us (the city council) as a helpful entity and not their enemy,” he said.

The council has a bad reputation with some residents, Carver said, but he wants to work to change that. The council is there to help, and he wants to help Maryland Heights solve problems rather than be a hard-handed city, he said.

Maryland Heights faces challenges when it comes to its housing market and attracting new businesses, Carver said. Maryland Heights is centrally located, and the city needs to promote itself as a destination for businesses, he said.

When it comes to housing —abandoned and vacant homes are part of the equation, but developing existing homes is another piece of the puzzle. Carver said a lot of homes are more than 40 years old and have become first-time homebuyer housing stock and not something a couple with two children would look for. Carver wants to explore new ways the city could let people expand their homes.

The final day to file for the 2012 municipal election is Jan. 17. Election day is April 3.