Mike Hennis is seeking a full six-year term on the Antonia Fire Protection District’s Board of Directors.
Hennis was elected in 2014 from a field of four candidates to serve the final four years of a seat left vacant after A.J. Kramer resigned from the three-person board.
However, Hennis faces a challenge for his race for re-election from Avery Fortenberry, who also is running for three other offices in the April 3 election.
Directors are paid $100 per meeting, with the board meeting one or two times a month. The board chair receives $50 extra per meeting, and the treasurer is paid $83.30 additional each month.
The district covers 36 square miles in the Imperial and Barnhart areas.
HENNIS, 56, lives at 6108 Kneff Road, Imperial. He and his wife, Sherri, have a son. He earned a bachelor’s degree from SoutheastMissouriStateUniversity.
FORTENBERRY, 71, lives at 6604 Crimson Lane, Barnhart. He and his wife, Jann, have four children and six grandchildren. He owns Avery Contracting LLC, which is involved in business management and property ownership, and previously was a global account executive for the Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. and AT&T. He received a bachelor’s degree in business management with a minor in communications from MaryvilleUniversity in 1982. He is a member of the county’s Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of Zoning Adjustment. He was on the Board of Directors of the Festus Special Road District from 2005-2007 and served for four years on the Jefferson County Extension Service board.
Fortenberry has been involved in various capacities in the past with Jefferson County Habitat for Humanity, Ride On St. Louis, the JudevineCenter for Autism, the Writers Society of Jefferson County, United Way and numerous subdivision boards.
He also is running in the April 3 election for boards governing Jefferson County 911 Dispatch, the Rock Township Ambulance District and the Fox C-6 School District.
What are the biggest problems facing the district and how would you address them?
Hennis: Keeping up with the needs of the community. Having adequate staffing with a high level of training, safe and reliable equipment and trucks is costly, but you can’t put a price on a life. I plan to continue finding creative ways for income, including grants. The district is heading in a great direction and has come a long way in four years. I would like to keep providing direction based on my experience as a business owner and what I’ve learned in the last four years on the board.
Fortenberry: Buying a firetruck that won’t fit in the fire station: Wow! Who is planning these purchases and wasting your tax dollars? And there is another request for tax dollars on the ballot! I will manage cost and expenses. We want to be prepared and ready when you need us but not wasteful when you don’t. I will strive to find that perfect balance in staffing and management of limited resources.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Hennis: ■ Open all three of the fire stations owned by the district to ensure faster response times.
■ Research ways to lower insurance rates.
■ Develop and maintain a solid rapport with the community through public education.
■ Maintain highly trained firefighters to keep up with the needs of the community.
Fortenberry: I would buy firetrucks that will fit in the station! If you want someone to ask questions and stay awake, vote for me.
The district is asking voters for a 35-cent property tax increase to staff all three fire houses 24 hours a day. How will you vote on that measure and why?
Hennis: As a 30-year resident of the district who has knowledge of what the community needs in an emergency, I will vote yes. Before March 2017, Antonia had two firefighters on a truck at two stations covering 36 square miles. If your house is on fire or a loved one needs to be cut out of a car, two firefighters are not sufficient. The tax increase will open the currently unmanned station and the district will be equally protected. In some areas of our district, it takes more than 10 minutes for firefighters to arrive.
Fortenberry: I fully support our employees and would consider all staffing needs. However, I think we need a full audit of the district’s finances and some new board members before I could support any tax increase.