The city of Festus has races for City Council seats in all four of its wards.
In Ward 1, incumbent David Boyer will face challenger John Weiss, and in Ward 2, incumbent Staci Templeton will face two challengers – Allen J. McCarthy and Malachi Dukes. McCarthy did not return a Leader survey.
Ward 3 incumbent Kevin Dennis will take on challenger Tim Bennett, and in Ward 4, incumbent Michael Cook will face challenger Luke Adams.
All the seats are for two-year terms. The council members are paid $500 a month.
Ward 1:
Boyer, 76, of Festus was a Jefferson County Public Works inspector before retiring in 2009. He previously worked for the city. He also served in the U.S. Air Force and was an airman first class. He attended Sacred Heart Catholic School, St. Pius X Catholic High School and took some Jefferson College classes and Air Force classes. He is married to Yvonne and has five children and seven grandchildren.
Weiss, 27, of Festus is a self-employed janitor and handyman. He received a high school equivalency certificate.
What experience do you have (elected office, civic organizations, volunteer work, etc.) that might serve you well in this position?
Boyer: I’ve been the Ward 1 Councilman for seven years. When I worked for the county, I served as a chairperson for a group of 200 employees, who came to me with problems they needed addressed. When I worked for Festus, I worked in the parks and health and street departments.
Weiss: I served on the Student Senate at Jefferson College from 2016 to 2020 and have been involved in community work and activism since 2015. In 2021, I co-founded the Community Liberation Network (CLN), which for the past several years has organized several programs and actions in the St. Louis area, including the People’s Potluck in Festus.
What are the biggest problems facing the city and how would you address them?
Boyer: With some areas of town having an aging infrastructure, we need to tend to broken water mains, utility cuts across our streets and any other issues as soon as possible. We have good crews and leadership in these areas!
Weiss: The biggest problems in our community are poverty, homelessness, public health and a lack of input and participation in how our city is managed from the people as a whole. I am working with the CLN to run a people’s campaign with the intention of mobilizing our community to unite around the common issues we face. We intend to establish a network of mutual aid programs designed to meet people’s needs and push for the building of a community center and more buildings to be designated as homeless shelters so we can get folks off the streets.
How do you feel about the recent commercial and residential development in the city?
Boyer: It’s good for the economy. Without proper growth a town becomes stagnant. There are more job opportunities.
Weiss: We believe all commercial and residential development should benefit all residents of Festus, not just a few property owners. Over the past several years, we’ve seen more houses being built at the same time there has been an increase in the number of people who are homeless, and we’ve seen the government shut down homeless encampments, like the one near Walmart known affectionately as “The Swamp”. As long as there are empty houses and people without homes, we do not need any more residential development. We need to focus on meeting the needs of our people.
Why should voters elect you to this position?
Boyer: I have gotten several things done, like new sidewalks along Beffa Street, speed limit signs and dangerous trees removed. When I get a call from a resident, I immediately look into the problem and try to solve it by going to the proper department.
Weiss: The city government has long neglected the people, especially here in the first ward, and it’s time for a change. If elected, I intend to not only push for policies that benefit the community, but also to host regular events and assemblies in each neighborhood to find out their needs and create a new way of government built upon participatory democracy and meeting the needs of every person in Festus.
List your goals, if elected.
Boyer: My main goal is, as the city grows, to make sure that it’s growing properly in the right areas.
Weiss: To physically improve the quality of life for poor and working-class people. To end homelessness in our community. To improve upon education of our community, especially among our youth. To provide more resources and solutions to the problem of drug addiction here in Festus. To strengthen organized labor, tenants’ unions, cooperatives and other democratic methods of asserting the people’s power over oligarchy. To build a new method of government in Festus, so the people have real control over and participation in how everything is managed, and where everyone’s needs are met.
Ward 2:
Templeton, 56, of Festus is a financial adviser with Edward Jones. She earned a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement administration from Western Illinois University in 1990; police officer certification from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Academy in 1991; a master’s degree in legal studies from Webster University in 1997. She also completed the Certified Financial Planner certification in 2022. She has three children: Jacob, Nicholas and Hannah.
Dukes, 22, of Festus is a self-employed custodian and handy man. He is a 2021 Festus High School graduate.
What experience do you have (elected office, civic organizations, volunteer work, etc.) that might serve you well in this position?
Templeton: I have been the Festus Ward 2 Councilwoman since 2021 and am active with Jeffco Shop with a Cop, the BackStoppers of Jefferson County and the Festus R-6 School Foundation. I also am the community outreach liaison with the Festus chapter of Little Black Book: Women in Business.
Dukes: Volunteer with Meals on Wheels and People’s Potluck in Festus.
What are the biggest problems facing the city and how would you address them?
Templeton: Sometimes the biggest problems are easier to point out than to solve. Resources for those in need are in high demand, and the number of those in need continues to grow. The city is also working to upgrade decades old or older infrastructure, while adding new services to developing areas. Analyzing available resources and applying an objective and pragmatic approach will hopefully allow us to meet the needs of the citizens of Festus, but that will be an ongoing process.
Dukes: The biggest problems are poverty, homelessness, public health and a lack of input and participation from the people as a whole in how our city is managed. We are running a people’s campaign with the intention of mobilizing our community to unite around the common issues we all face. We intend to put forward a plan for establishing a network of mutual aid programs designed to meet people’s needs, and we intend to push for the building of a community center and for more buildings to be designated as homeless shelters so we can get folks off the streets.
How do you feel about the recent commercial and residential development in the city?
Templeton: Festus is growing and evolving at a fast pace; therefore, our city government must be diligent at aligning growth and resources. Progress can be a double-edged sword, but failure to thrive can be a byproduct of not at least keeping pace or stepping forward. We have many new opportunities making their way into the city, which necessitates the need for patience while performing due diligence activities: Real estate is not an infinite resource.
Dukes: All residential and commercial development should benefit the community as a whole and not just a few wealthy business owners. We’ve seen more and more homeless people over the years, even though more houses have been built, so there’s clearly a housing crisis that needs to be addressed.
Why should voters elect you to this position?
Templeton: My adult life has been dominated by being of service to others. Mom, police officer, financial adviser, community volunteer. All of these roles display my hope to leave any situation I touch better than I found it. Serving as a Festus city councilwoman is a role I do not take lightly and being a good steward of the trust conveyed upon me is a priority.
Dukes: Voters should elect me because I have the people’s needs as my top priority and I could help improve the quality of life for everyone. I won’t stop until everyone’s needs are met.
List your goals, if elected.
Templeton: My goals would reflect the goals of the city: continued growth, fiscal responsibility and being continually mindful of the needs of our growing community. Simply put, people, prosperity and progress.
Dukes: To improve the quality of life for poor and working-class people. To end the homelessness crisis in our community. To improve the education of our community, especially among our youth. To provide more resources and solutions to the problems of drug addiction in Festus. To strengthen and promote organized labor, tenants’ unions, cooperatives and other democratic methods of asserting the people’s power over oligarchy. To build a new method of government in Festus, where the people have real control over and participation in how everything is managed and where nobody’s needs are unmet.
Ward 3:
Bennett, 38, of Festus is an auditor for Torch Electronics. He has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He is married to Stephanie and has three children.
Dennis, 62, of Festus was a paramedic/captain with the Joachim-Plattin Ambulance District from 1983 until his retirement in 2019. He is a 1981 Festus High School graduate and attended Jefferson College from 1981-1982. He graduated from the St. Louis University Institute of Health Management Paramedic class of 1983.
What experience do you have (elected office, civic organizations, volunteer work, etc.) that might serve you well in this position?
Bennett: I am a former Festus Police officer and know the inner workings of the city well. I am also a member of the local Elks lodge and have many local connections with the people involved in the day to day operations of the city.
Dennis: I have been a Festus Ward 3 councilman for 22 years, and I served on the Festus Police Board. I served on the Jefferson County Water Authority. I am a life member of the Festus-Crystal City Elks Lodge 1721 and was its exalted ruler from 1999-2000.
What are the biggest problems facing the city and how would you address them?
Bennett: The city still has a major water problem, and I would like to continue to see the city move toward upgrading all the water mains. We also have a traffic issue, and I would like to see enforcement stepped up and look into the addition of a traffic unit in the police department. I believe an officer that focuses mainly on traffic would greatly help the cause. I would also like to see the addition of a second firehouse in the city. The city is growing and only having 1 fire station will not be suitable.
Dennis: The biggest problem facing our city is an aging infrastructure. We are currently fixing and replacing water mains and water lines, streets, sidewalks and adding new lighting. We are also bringing all new projects up to current ADA compliance. We are using matching grant funding to improve our infrastructure.
How do you feel about the recent commercial and residential development in the city?
Bennett: I am happy with the development in the city but would like to see the addition of more retail stores. The addition of these stores would bring jobs to the residents, and the extra sales tax revenue would help the city expand. It would help draw more people to the city, just like the new splash pad going in at Crites Park. Instead of our residents going outside the city to shop, they could be here.
Dennis: I feel the city of Festus has been lucky to have good growth and development in the past several years. I think it has improved our city for the betterment of our community. The growth brings employment opportunities for our community and the financial stability to maintain good services for our residents.
Why should voters elect you to this position?
Bennett: I am an outgoing person who wants to be a part of helping our city grow into a destination place people want to come to. There have been many events our city holds that have drawn in people from all over the state. From the Mayor’s Car Cruise to the Firecracker Festival, Festus has always been a growing city. I am a former Festus Police officer and enjoyed my time as a city employee. I made a lot of friends and want to continue helping a great city grow.
Dennis: The biggest thing I bring to the table is my experience and dedication from the last 22 years of service. I’m proud to have had the opportunity to serve in the community I live and worked in. I will continue to work to represent our city and the citizens and our city employees.
List your goals, if elected.
Bennett: I want to see the continuation of water main upgrades and lowering property taxes for seniors and those on fixed incomes, if not all the residents of the city. I would like to see the addition of a traffic unit in the Police Department to help with ongoing traffic concerns and the addition of a second firehouse for the city.
Dennis: My goals, if reelected, are to continue to fix aging infrastructure by replacing water mains, streets and sidewalks and lighting; to continue to work toward a second firehouse; to continue to improve the traffic control unit we already have put in place and to continue to keep the wages and benefits of our employees competitive so we can retain the best employees.
Ward 4:
Cook, 51, of Festus works for Jefferson County. He has a bachelor’s degree from Missouri Baptist University. He is married to Trisha and has two adult sons.
Adams, 23, of Festus is a self-employed janitor and handyman. He earned an associate degree from Jefferson College in 2021 and a bachelor’s degree with a major in philosophy and minor in English from Webster University in 2024.
What experience do you have (elected office, civic organizations, volunteer work, etc.) that might serve you well in this position?
Cook: I have served on the Festus City Council and have enjoyed my time working for the residents, businesses and staff of our great city. I have also been a member of the Big River Ambulance Board of Directors, Jefferson County 911 Board of Directors and the Festus Parks board. These roles have given me a deep understanding of the needs of our community and the importance of how local government works.
Adams: I’ve been serving Festus for four years by hosting the People’s Potluck every other Sunday, sharing resources with people and talking about what needs to change in this town. When the City Council had the police sweep homeless camps, I was organizing efforts to keep people alive. When the government turns on you, I will never stop fighting for you.
What are the biggest problems facing the city and how would you address them?
Cook: One of the major challenges we as a city faced was addressing issues with aging water mains. Upon recognizing the need for action in fall 2023, the council took swift steps to implement a citywide replacement project, something that is well underway.
Adams: The biggest problems are poverty, homelessness, public health and a lack of input and participation from the people as a whole in how our city is managed. We are running a people’s campaign with the intention of mobilizing our community to unite around the common issues we face. We intend to establish a network of mutual aid programs designed to meet people’s needs, and we intend to push for the building of a community center and for more buildings to be designated as homeless shelters so we can get folks off the streets.
How do you feel about the recent commercial and residential development in the city?
Cook: I believe our city’s growth has been well-planned and has brought valuable opportunities for our residents and businesses.
Adams: We believe all commercial and residential development should benefit all residents of Festus, not just a few property owners. We’ve seen more houses being built and yet even more homeless people over the past several years, all while the government shuts down homeless encampments, like the one near Walmart known affectionately as “The Swamp.” As long as there are empty houses and people without homes, we do not need any more residential development; we need to focus on meeting the needs of our people.
Why should voters elect you to this position?
Cook: As a council member, I understand that leadership is not about an individual approach but about working together. Our current council, administration and mayor collaborate effectively to set goals and plan for the city’s future. We have exciting developments ahead, including the opening of a new splash pad and all-inclusive park this May.
Adams: The city government has long neglected the people, and it’s time for a change. If elected, we intend to not only push for policies that benefit the community, but also to host regular events and assemblies in each neighborhood to find out what they need and build a new way of government built upon participatory democracy and meeting the needs of every person in Festus.
List your goals, if elected.
Cook: Continuing water main replacements to ensure reliable infrastructure; continuing road improvements and enhanced traffic safety measures; supporting responsible residential and commercial growth; strengthening our police, fire and city services to meet the needs of our expanding community. The need for a second firehouse within city limits. I am committed to keeping Festus on a path of responsible growth while ensuring our city remains a safe, welcoming place to live, work and raise a family. I would be honored to continue serving on the Festus council and ask four your support in the upcoming election.
Adams: To physically improve the quality of life for poor and working-class people. To end the homelessness crisis in our community. To improve upon the education of our community, especially among our youth. To provide more resources and solutions to the problem of drug addiction in Festus. To strengthen and promote organized labor, tenants’ unions, cooperatives and other democratic methods of asserting the people’s power over oligarchy. To build a new method of government in Festus where the people have real control over and participation in how everything is managed and where nobody’s needs are unmet.
