Riverside City History
People Who Have Made A Difference: Mayor Mike Holmes

Former Riverside Mayor Mike Holmes helped shepherd the community through challenges and accomplishments. Originally from San Pedro, Calif., Holmes moved to the area in 1989. Among other vocations, he has successfully operated an engineering and training consulting firm. His wife, Cathy, is well known for her office and administrative assistance. Together, the couple has customers that include Boeing, Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Navy. Holmes first sought a post on the Riverside Board of Aldermen at the encouragement of Ed Young. As a "junior" Council Member, he was indoctrinated to the "old" ways of doing city business. "Ed would call me up regarding his position on an issue and suggest that I make a motion supporting his point of view, which was incidentally most often somewhat controversial. Well you know I was often the bad guy to the applicant, attorney or citizen, as the case may be, and that occasionally caused me some grief."

Holmes recalled the much discussed "interaction" between Riverside leader Loo Rodeberg and Kansas City Star writer and now editor Rich Hood. "During the time I served, Rich Hood, now the vice president and chief editorial page editor for the Star, was a beat reporter. We were in an image struggle and when a strip bar in Northmoor ran an ad for dancers stating a Riverside address, Lou Rodeberg charged over and went into the office waving the newspaper and announcing she wanted to speak with the manager about this ad. Of course we had our own problems with liquor establishments in town at the time, but I really think we made a lot of progress towards a cleaner image."

Holmes also recalled only one instance in which some of the negative rumors about public life came true. "Before joining the council I had heard all of the rumors regarding graft, corruption and patronage. Well, I can honestly say in the more than eight years I served, I was actually approached only once. I refused the only bribe opportunity I ever had." Holmes has since moved from Riverside, but even from Independence he still keeps track of his "home town."

NEXT»