Filing deadline nears for city offices

Wednesday, January 3, 2007

SIKESTON -- Those wanting to run for city offices have several days to file before the deadline.

Filing for April municipal elections began Dec. 12, and while some races are heating up, many remain uncontested.

"Sometimes you have contested races early on, and other times it may go to the last day. And sometimes, we don't have any file," New Madrid City Clerk Marian Bock said about filing patterns.

Filing will end at 5 p.m. Jan. 16. Anyone wanting to file should contact their city hall. Residents should keep in mind some city halls are closed Jan. 15 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday.

Three positions are up for grabs in New Madrid: alderman for Wards 1, 2 and 3. Filing so far includes: Howard Crisler, Ward 1 incumbent; Dwayne Stanley, Ward 2 incumbent; and Larry Tollison, Ward 3. Margaret Palmer, Ward 3 incumbent, hasn't yet filed. All positions are for two-year terms.

In Miner, filing for city collector, which is a four-year term, are incumbent Ellen Davis and Sue Shackles. Two alderman positions are open, and incumbents Justin Medley and Marlene Anglin have refiled. Also filing is Deloris Smith against Anglin.

East Prairie has five offices open for the upcoming election: mayor, city collector and alderman for Wards 1, 2, and 3. Presiding Mayor Gene Ditto and City Collector Mary Anne Mainord have refiled. No one has filed for the alderman positions currently held by Steve Myers, Ward 1; Keith Grissom, Ward 2; and Kyle Hutcheson, Ward 3. All are two-year terms.

No one has filed for the two alderman positions available in Matthews. Both are for two-year terms. The positions are currently held by Ward 1 alderman Jimmy Burch and Ward 2 alderman Ray Mills.

Several positions are open in Morehouse. Filing for mayor is incumbent Pete Leija. Also refiling are City Marshal Jackie Hays Jr. and City Judge Angela Webb. Current City Collector Karen Williams is retiring, leaving the four-year position up for grabs. Filing for collector are Judy Gosnell Green and Jackie Hays Sr., who both hold alderman positions. So far no one has filed for Wards 1 and 2 alderman positions, which are for two years.

In Bertrand, Mayor Charles McKinley has refiled and will face at least one opponent in the April election. Billy (Bill) Meeks' name will also appear on the ballot in the mayor category. Two alderman positions are available, and filing are both incumbents: Ward 1 Alderman Danny Freeland and Ward 2 Alderman Dennis R. Quertermous. The positions are for two-year terms.

In Morley there are three alderman at-large positions available. Filing are incumbent Sammy Slipis for one of the two-year positions; and Larry Jackson for the one-year position. No one has filed for the other two-year alderman position.

Joe Stuckey has refiled for his four-year position as mayor of Benton. City Collector Beverly Riley has refiled for her two-year position. No one has yet filed for the two alderman positions in Benton. Ward 1 alderman is Howard Bollinger, and Ward 2 alderman is David Mack.

Lilbourn Ward 1 and 2 alderman positions are available. Ward 1 incumbent Larry Jackson has filed and so has Ward 2 incumbent Mike Roberts. The positions are for two-year terms.

Portageville Mayor J.D. Patton's term will expire in April, and he has not filed for re-election. So far Lynn Doering is the only person to file for the two-year position. Incumbents filing for their positions were Vince Berry, Ward 1 alderman; Ervin Gremard, Ward 2 alderman; and Michelle Crawford, city collector.

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