Local government positions are up for grabs in April 5 election

SIKESTON - Candidates for mayor, alderman and other positions in local government are no longer a subject of speculation with the closing of filing for the April 5 municipal elections.

Being cities that have the possibility of primary elections, filing in Sikeston and Charleston closed Nov. 23.

Only a single candidate registered in Sikeston with only one position on the ballot. Former City Council member Sue Rogers filed for the open at-large City Council seat while the incumbent, Phil Boyer, is not seeking re-election.

Charleston has two candidates, Sandy Harvey and Michael Jones, filed to fill an unexpired term on its City Council created when Marshall Currin resigned from the position. There are also two candidates for a full term of three years, incumbent Jack Feezor and Donald Raithel.

Filing for other municipal offices closed Jan. 18.

* In Miner, Darlene Justice and Marlene Anglin have filed for the Ward 1 seat on the Board of Aldermen. Incumbent Deloris Smith is not seeking re-election.

Filed in Ward 2 are Justin Medley, who was appointed to fill Roberta Wills' unexpired term until the election, and Mark Thorn.

Ellen Davis, the incumbent city collector, has one challenger, Beth Brickell-Smith.

The incumbent police chief, Roger Moore, also has a challenger filed for the position: Tim Holman, a former Miner police officer.

* There were several resignations from the Scott City Board of Aldermen resulting in seven open positions.

Filed for full two-year terms are: incumbent Jeff Curnell, Ward 1; incumbent Terry Gettings and Chuck Klughart in Ward 2; incumbent Robert Tyler, Ward 3; and incumbent Norman Brant and Larry Taylor for Ward 4.

Competing for an unexpired term of one year in Ward 2 are Jim McCarty and John Crail; Ron Cummins and Susie Chapman are filed for an unexpired term in Ward 3, and Ron Worl and Chris Klughart will compete for the unexpired Ward 4 term with one year remaining.

* In New Madrid, there is a three-way race for the one year remaining in the unexpired term as mayor: Glen Medlin, Russell Riggs and Donnie Brown.

The former Mayor Mark Baker resigned Dec. 31 to serve as a county commissioner.

Unopposed incumbents for new terms on the New Madrid Board of Aldermen are Howard Crisler in Ward 1 and Dwayne Stanley in Ward 2.

In Ward 3, incumbent Gary "Doc" Cowan did not file, leaving a two-way race between Margaret Palmer and Tony Maltbia.

Full terms on the Board run for two years.

* In East Prairie, incumbent Gene Ditto will face Kevin P. Mainord in his bid for another term as mayor.

Board of Aldermen Ward 1 incumbent Shirley Pritchett also has a single challenger, Steve Myers; and incumbent Keith Grissom, Ward 2, will face Charles F. Allen for re-election.

Kevin Mainord is not running for re-election in Ward 3 as he filed for mayor. Competing for his seat are Charlotte Keller, Shirley Carden and Kyle H. Hutcheson.

City Marshall Danny Lafferty has two opponents in the race for a full four-year term: James Fortner and Joey Manning.

City Collector Mary Anne Mainord has no opposition filed.

Excepting the marshal, all the terms are for two years.

* Pete Leija will face Jimmy Chaffin on the ballot in his bid for another term as Morehouse's mayor.

The city's Ward 1 incumbent, Judy Gosnell Greene, is without any opponents on the ballot as is Angela Webb, the incumbent municipal judge.

The Ward 2 incumbent, Gerald Williams, will have one opponent, Eddie Stinnett.

Filed for city collector are incumbent Karen Williams and Shannon McCoy.

Jackie Hays Jr. has filed for city marshal against incumbent Trish Cohen.

* Voters in Bertrand will have only unopposed incumbents on the ballot for their municipality.

Filed for new two-year terms are Mayor Charles L. McKinley; Alderman Danny Freeland, Ward 1; and Alderman Dennis Quertermous, Ward 2.

Jim Baker is running to fill the one year remaining in an unexpired term in Ward 1.

* In Chaffee, incumbent Ron Davis and Jerry Wayne Hampton will face off in Ward 1, and incumbent Debra Eichhorn and Hope Huey are filed in Ward 2 for full two-year terms on the City Council.

Ward 4 incumbent Tom Cunningham is unopposed. Ward 3 has no candidates filed.

* In Oran, incumbent Ed Evans and Ronnie Diebold Sr. have filed for the full term to represent Ward 1 on the Board of Alderman.

The Ward 2 incumbent, Gil Roslen, has one challenger filed: Leroy Eftink.

No candidates filed in Wards 3 and 4. Terms run for two years.

* Three incumbents are running without opposition in Benton: Beverly Riley, for city collector; Howard Bollinger in Ward 1; and David Mack in Ward 2.

* In Wyatt, incumbents Dennis Hodges in Ward 1 and Bill Franklin in Ward 2 have no opponents in their bids for re-election to the Board of Aldermen.

Charles Duncan is the only one filed for the one year remaining in the unexpired Ward 1 seat left vacant after Sam Bowles resigned from the position and moved from the area. Duncan was appointed by the Board to fill the position until the election.

* Incumbent Lena Brown, Ward 1, is the only candidate filed for a full term of two years on Anniston's Board of Aldermen; and Betty Jackson is the sole candidate for the unexpired term of one year in Ward 1.

There are no candidates filed for mayor or for the full term in Ward 2.

* J.D. Patton is the only candidate running to be Portageville's mayor. Patton was appointed to fill the position until the election.

Jake Rone and Vincent Berry are both candidates in Ward 1 for the city's Board of Aldermen. The incumbent, James Williams, did not file for re-election.

In Ward 2, incumbent Ervin Gremard has no opposition.

The alderman and mayor terms are all two years.

Incumbent Ronnie Adams is unopposed for four more years as police chief.

* In Lilbourn, incumbents are not running in either ward race. Larry Jackson, Grady Williford and Johnny Baker have filed for the Ward 1 Board of Alderman seat. Dan Ruark and Michael Roberts are seeking election in Ward 2. Melba Brimer had registered for the position but dropped out of the race.

Terms are for two years.

Lilbourn voters will also pick a candidate to fill the one-year unexpired city marshal term. Joshua Jinks, who was appointed to fill the unexpired marshal term until the election, and Donald Depro Jr. are both filed for the office. Dwight Walker had also registered for marshal but withdrew his candidacy.

* Voters in Marston's North Ward will chose between incumbent Leon Hampton and Junior Phillips for the Board of Aldermen.

Those in the South Ward will pick either Bill Poley or Debra Jean Hayes. The incumbent, Donald Ferguson, did not file. * David Maddox is unopposed in his bid for another two years as Bell City's mayor.

Filed in the city's Ward 1 is Shelby Meador, Robert Arnold and Tim Hall. The incumbent, Cleo Schaefer Jr., did not file for re-election.

Ward 2 has two candidates: incumbent David Scheible and Jewell Fisher.

Bell City voters will also decide whether or not to establish a one-quarter of 1 percent sales tax for the police and fire departments.