Maryland Heights’ Ward 1 is on track to being the most competitive race in this April’s municipal election. Three candidates have filed to run for the city council spot — including incumbent council member Ken Gold.

Gold has served on the City Council for the last 15 years, he said, and has chaired the city’s Finance Committee for the last nine. He said balancing the city’s budget is always getting more difficult, but his finance experience could be an asset to the city.

He said the city has had a one-year operating fund in reserves under his finance committee chairmanship. Only a few municipalities in the area have that situation right now, Gold said.

If elected for another term, Gold said he hopes to continue working on residential and commercial real estate. He said the city has an aging housing stock and commercial areas are faced with obsolescence.

One way to help the commercial areas in town, he said, is to help companies work with the city to get occupancy permits in a timely manner. He said he recently worked with World Wide Technologies and city staff to facilitate a permit.

The biggest issue the city faces, Gold said, is to keep its businesses viable to keep and expand jobs within the city.

Gold said Maryland Heights is a great place to be. The city is centrally located, he said. His children live in the Carolinas, where he said it takes them 30 minutes to get anywhere. Maryland Heights’ compactness is an attribute.

The city also has restaurants and recreation, he said.

“There’s just always something going on,” Gold said. “It’s a very energetic area.”

The last day to file for candidacy in this year's municipal election is Jan. 17.