Voters all over Arnold will be busy on April 3, choosing members of the City Council, as there are contested races in all four of the city’s wards.
Council members serve two-year terms.
In Ward 1, EJ Fleischmann has drawn a challenge for his second term from political newcomer Courtney Huff.
In Ward 2, Brian McArthur is seeking a third term, but faces opposition from Jerel Poor, who is seeking to return to the council.
In Ward 3, two challengers are seeking to oust longtime councilman Vernon Sullivan, who served five terms from 1987 to 1997, then returned in 2016. To win a seventh term, Sullivan will have to defeat William Denman and Rodney D. Mullins.
Gary Plunk is running for a third term in Ward 4 but faces a challenge from Randy W. Hoselton.
Council members elected in April will be paid $621.46 per month.
City treasurer Dan Kroupa has no opposition in his bid for a fifth two-year term.
WARD 1
FLEISCHMANN, 25, lives at 2321 Lee Drive. He is a key accounts manager for a start-up technology company, Textium. A 2011 graduate of St. Pius X High School, he received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from MaryvilleUniversity in 2016. He is a member of St. David Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. He has worked with the St. Vincent de Paul Society and on his parish council.
HUFF, 26, lives at 3102 Lakeland Court. She is single and is a supervisor at Woodland, where she oversees three buildings with 25 to 30 employees. She is a graduate of FoxHigh School and attended SoutheastMissouriStateUniversity.
What are the biggest problems facing the city and how would you address them?
Fleischmann: One of the biggest problems facing our community, like many others, is rising crime. We are very fortunate to live in a fairly safe community and we have some of the best men and women protecting us every day. In my first term, I have worked with the Police Department to make sure they have the right tools and I will continue to work with them. Supporting our Police is a top priority for me.
Huff: Although I don't really see that Arnold has any big problems, I do see areas of concern, especially in the ward in which I have lived for 14-plus years. Even though we are the old part of town, Ward 1 could be represented much better than it has been. For instance, the new Arnold sign on Jeffco Boulevard as you’re entering Arnold from south St. Louis County that EJ is responsible for, from my understanding, is great, but a bigger impact could’ve been to focus on the entrance on Telegraph.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Fleischmann: In my first term, I have taken the time to listen to residents and make sure the city is being responsive to their concerns. My goals:
■ Continue to make it a priority to ensure departments and police have the proper tools and skills.
■ Make sure Arnold is the hub of new jobs for JeffersonCounty. It is time that Arnold competes for the top jobs in Missouri.
■ Work to bring more modern apartment options for young families.
■ Make sure our city is serving our people.
Huff: I can bring some long-overdue attention and focus to Ward 1. We desperately need derelict properties to be taken care of, along with attention to the railroad crossing on Arnold Tenbrook and the traffic situation in front of the Fox campus. I also want to work on bringing new businesses to our city without giving the farm away (with tax breaks) that tremendously affects our schools. I also have some ideas to obtain new revenue that could possibly bring back the very popular free trash service.
Arnold voters will be asked April 3 to change the business license fee structure to add city revenue. How will you vote on that measure and why?
Fleischmann: The business license fee has not been updated for more than 20 years. We can not rely solely on our residents and visitors through our sales tax. This new structure will help bring new revenue without putting the burden on our residents.
Huff: At this time, I plan to vote no. I don’t believe residents have been informed well enough to make a decision as important as this. Our leaders could do a much better job of involving residents by using the Arnold-Imperial Leader. If elected, I would be the only woman on the City Council, and I would I not only have the capabilities of bringing fresh ideas to the table concerning securing revenue, but I also have the ability to get others energized to share their ideas.
WARD 2
POOR, 63, lives at 756 Mary Lane. He and his wife, Kimberly, have five children and one grandchild. He runs Best Auto Inc., Best Auto Repair LLC and Best Properties in Arnold. He represented Ward 2 on the council for two years. He also is a recruiter with the St. Louis Land Reutilization Authority.
MCARTHUR, 56, lives at 777 Mary Lane. He and his wife, Linda, have two children. He is a benefits specialist at Simploy Inc. and a 1979 graduate of St. LouisChristianAcademy. He now represents the council on the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission, and before he joined the council, was a member of the board for 20 years. He also was active in Scouting and was a member of the Arnold Chamber of Commerce from 1990 to 1995.
What are the biggest problems facing the city and how would you address them?
Poor: I dwell on solutions so I will say that the biggest solutions would be to expand services, pay less money for current and future services, envision a contract environment that is not only a partnership with City Hall and contractors but also with residents where everyone wins.
McArthur: Aging infrastructure is the biggest problem. I continue to make sure we have adequate resources allocated to fix our roads and bridges. A second concern is crime, and I have always worked to make sure we have the best possible police protection. I plan on making sure this continues. I will continue to find new ways to budget for these items without raising taxes.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Poor: Voters should elect me because they believe in me. Everyone wants something better. I want change, therefore you will see change in me because the only person I can change is me. Through my change, I hope I can bring forth lessons for Arnold that will change it for the better.
McArthur: I have kept my campaign promises to run the city like a business by retiring millions in debt, improve our reputation by working together and balance the budget without reducing services. I have brought on additional police protection and saved money in the process. I am not just worried about city operations. I have also listened to the people and to address their concerns. My main goal is to make sure we keep doing the business in a fair, open and professional manner.
Arnold voters will be asked April 3 to change the business license fee structure to add city revenue. How will you vote on that measure and why?
Poor: Adding fees to add revenue is good for the city revenue but is not positive for businesses in the city. The backbone of revenue for the city is taxes from the businesses in the community. When city business interferes with community businesses, we must balance the needs of the many with the needs of the city. Does this new fee structure add value to the community’s businesses? If not, I am not for it. If so, I would vote yes.
McArthur: The city’s business license fee structure has not been changed since the city was incorporated. Our current fees are based on the number of employees so a small business like a beauty salon or real estate office may pay as much as a big-box retailer. If it is approved by the voters, I would like to see programs like our business resource officer expanded to ensure that people feel safe when they shop in out city. We cannot keep going to the voters with additional sales and property taxes.
WARD 3
SULLIVAN, 73, lives at 2881 Tommy Drive. He and his wife, Glenda, have three sons, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He is the retired director of facilities from the Fox C-6 School District. A graduate of Greeenville (Mo.) High School, he also has served on the Fox C-6 Board of Education for 15 years.
He is also involved with the Arnold Rotary Club, Arnold Veterans Commission, the city’s Tourism Commission, is a board member of the Arnold Food Pantry and Fox Foundation, is chairman of the Arnold-Jefferson County Performing Arts Council and is a member of New HopeMethodistChurch.
Among his previous involvements are memberships with the Arnold Police Board, Jefferson County Boy Scouts Foundation and East-West Gateway Coordinating Council. He chaired Friends of Fox and served on committees that worked for the creation of the Fox-Windsor library subdistricts, the Strawberry Creek Park Reserve, ArnoldRecreationalCenter and tornado sirens for the city.
DENMAN, 74, lives at 2786 Baccara Drive. He and his wife, Janice, have four children and five grandchildren. He is a retired lineman for AmerenUE and delivery driver for NAPA. He is a high school graduate and attended college. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, VFW Post 2593 Auxiliary and Rock Memorial American Legion.
MULLINS, 50, lives at 2859 Aquarius Drive. He and his wife, Heather Mullins, have two daughters. He is a process improvement leader in the emergency department at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from SoutheastMissouriStateUniversity in 1990 and a master’s degree in business administration from WebsterUniversity in 2000 as well as project management professional certification. He is involved with the Fox C-6 Parent Advisory Council to the Superintendent, Fox Middle School Parents Club and is an ice hockey coach for the Meramec Sharks. He was president of the staff-parish committee and the board of trustees at New HopeMethodistChurch.
What are the biggest problems facing the city and how would you address them?
Sullivan: Watch over your tax dollars. Balance the budget. Maintain and upgrade neighborhood streets, Develop a plan to abate stormwater problems in Ward 3. Hire two special task force policemen to make neighborhoods and shopping areas safe.
Denman: The Arnold City Council is the most overpaid and underachieving group yet. We pay almost $30,000 for a part-time mayor.
Mullins: The residents of the city still desire even more transparency on all decisions that affect the bottom line and our tax base. I am committed to complete openness and honesty along with 100 percent transparency. Additionally, I want to implement a process that requires a publicly shared formal return on investment report for all expenditures over $50,000. I am fiscally conservative and will treat the residents’ money the same as I do my own.
Why should voters elect you to this position?
Sullivan: I held eight subdivision meetings to get feedback from Ward 3 residents. We finished sidewalks on Tenbrook Road and repaired subdivision streets in the ward. I received 62 calls from Ward 3 residents and solved 61 of their problems. I am listening to Ward 3 residents and work for them.
Denman: Bring this council back to helping residents and restore free trash service.
Mullins: I best represent the primary demographic of the city. I’ve been a resident for 45-plus years, raising a family here and have a vested interest in the current operations and the future of the city so my children want to live here. I will:
■ Bring new alternative business ventures that are focused on the next generation of consumers.
■ Refute future tax abatements to large corporations without complete and proven return-on-investment business cases.
■ Eliminate personal-interest decision-making and replace it with a systems approach that is in the best interest of all residents.
Arnold voters will be asked April 3 to change the business license fee structure to add city revenue. How will you vote on the measure and why?
Sullivan: I will vote yes. Arnold has the lowest business license fee in JeffersonCounty and St. LouisCounty. We need to bring our license fees in line with other cities to help offset the cost of additional policing in business and residential areas. We must make Arnold a safe place to shop and raise a family.
Denman: No. We don’t want to drive business to St. LouisCounty, where the tax rate is about half of ours.
Mullins: I don’t like adding rates to anyone; businesses or consumers. However, this is probably the most equitable option in lieu of even higher taxes, and our residents already pay too high of a rate. It shows a shared commitment to the longevity of Arnold. Based on this, I will likely vote in favor. But there are ways to improve internal processes that would generate savings. I’m confident that my professional experience in process improvement will help avoid this scenario in the future.
WARD 4
PLUNK, 72, lives at 2043 Fenwick Place. He and his wife, Linnie, have a daughter. He is retired after working as an automotive sales manager for 25 years and retired from the National Guard after 20 years. He is a member of the Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief Organization and has been involved in Baptist relief organizations.
HOSELTON, 30, lives at 1980 Pomme Road. He is single. A supply technician for the Missouri National Guard, he was homeschooled and earned a high school equivalency diploma, then an associates degree from JeffersonCollege in 2014 and a bachelor’s degree in applied management from MissouriBaptistUniversity in 2017.
A former member of the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission and the Board of Adjustments, Hoselton is a volunteer with Operation Clean Stream, was vice chair and a founding member of the Veterans Commission, and is now an alternate member of that board. He has been on the city’s personnel action review board since 2015. He was has been a member of the Arnold VFW and American Legion Post 150.
What are the biggest problems facing the city and how would you address them?
Plunk: Arnold, with its major shopping areas being easily accessible from I-55, has become a target for shoplifters, drug users and various criminals. This seems to be fueled by the opioid crisis in this country. Because of this, I support a more of a specialized police presence that is being implemented in our shopping areas to try to prevent crime and build community relations.
Hoselton: Our residents and their children are entitled to feel safe as they move around the community. The main roads of Ward 4 are curvy, narrow and put drivers and pedestrians at risk as traffic increases. I want to have a specific plan in place, preferably a federal grant, that will allocate funds specifically for the upgrade of roads and construction of sidewalks.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Plunk: I take the position of representing Ward 4 seriously. I make it a point to listen and respond to the needs and concerns of our community. I hold myself to a high standard. The top of my to-do list is answering the needs of what our residents have asked for, such as additional parks and recreation opportunities, updating our infrastructure and possible growth for industry and business to provide more employment locally.
Hoselton: When I deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, I demonstrated my ability to accomplish the mission as a member of a team. Those successes were critically dependent on great communication. To be successful in this position, I must constantly be in contact with my residents and reflect their wishes at City Hall. My involvement in the community has given me the experience necessary to get the results Ward 4 residents wish to see.
Arnold voters will be asked April 3 to change the business license fee structure to add city revenue. How will you vote on that measure and why?
Plunk: The business license fee structure proposal was a tough decision and one the council (including myself and staff) took seriously. These fees have not been changed since in the 1970s. It is as fair to the small business as it is to the larger corporate businesses. This fee structure is on par with cities in the surrounding areas and the increase will bring in much-needed revenue.
Hoselton: I fully support this measure. While the attractiveness of Arnold’s low business licenses has been beneficial to our city’s economy, it has been to our infrastructure’s detriment. The growing demand for police around the large retailers and increased truck traffic have pressed taxpayers to spend more in response. This measure is fair as the businesses that use our resources the most will pay a proportionate amount.