The Leader today begins its Voters Guide for the Aug. 4 primary election. To assist an expected high number of people who will cast absentee and mail-in ballots, we will be posting a new profile each day. The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot or mail-in ballot is July 22. For information, call the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office at 636-797-5486.
Charles Groeteke faces a challenge for election to a new term representing District 4 on the Jefferson County Council in the Aug. 4 primary election.
Trisha Cardona Fribis, making her first run at elected office, is seeking to unseat Groeteke, who was elected in 2010 to a two-year term on the first County Council organized under the county’s charter form of government. He was defeated for re-election in 2012, but returned for a four-year term in 2016.
After serving as the council’s chair in 2019, he is the current vice-chairman.
Because no one else from another party filed for the seat, the winner of the Republican Party’s primary in August will represent District 4 for the next four years.
In District 2, Republican Renee Reuter is running unopposed in both the primary and November general elections. She, too, was elected to the first County Council in 2010 and, after serving an initial two-year term, will be elected to her third consecutive four-year term.
Council members are paid $11,478 per year.
GROETEKE, 65, lives in Barnhart. He and his wife, Sharon, have one daughter.
He is a retired maintenance machinist who worked for 36 years for Marquette Tool and Die Co. in St. Louis.
A graduate of Southwest High School in St. Louis, he attended Jefferson College.
Social media: Facebook: Charles Groeteke County Council District 4
FRIBIS, 34, lives in Hillsboro. She and her husband, Jonathan, have two children.
She is corporate vice-president and co-owner of Environmental Consulting and Operations Inc., a water and wastewater operations, management and construction firm in Cedar Hill.
A 2004 graduate of Seckman High School, she attended Jefferson College but left for a job in marketing and business management before earning a degree.
Social media: Website: cardonafribis.com Instagram: @cardonafribis Facebook: @TrishaCardonaFribis4CountyCouncil
What experience do you have (elected office, civic organizations, volunteer work, etc.) that might serve you well in this position?
Groeteke: I was elected in 2010 to the inaugural County Council and again in 2016 to represent the citizens of District 4. I was the first vice chairman of the new County Council, have been vice-chairman for three years and chairman for one year. I have served a total of six years on the Council. I served on the Rock Township Ambulance District’s Board of Directors for three years.
Fribis: As a business owner, wife and mother of young children, my volunteer involvement has primarily been civic-minded rather than political. I have served in a number of different areas at First Baptist Church of Arnold, where my family and I are members. I frequently volunteer in various capacities with the Meramec Sharks hockey program and the PGA of America. I also volunteer with the Hillsboro R-3 School District, which both of my children attend.
What specific needs exist in your County Council district, and how would you address them?
Groeteke: Old Lemay Ferry Road is one of the most dangerous roads in the county and in District 4. New housing developments are coming to the district. Because of this, roads and stormwater issues are major issues. Addressing these issues of urban sprawl are a priority.
Fribis: District 4 is unique because it has a healthy mixture of commercial, residential and agricultural areas. Its greatest need is forward progress. Forward progress is achieved through things like increased funding for schools and emergency services, countywide improvement projects and a desire to provide families with places to live, work and play in their own community. The only way the aforementioned items will be achieved is through growth and development. We should welcome new families and businesses and encourage growth along our major corridors, in accordance with the county’s master plan and Unified Development Order.
What grade would you give the current County Council and why? What improvements would you make?
Groeteke: B. In any organization, there is always room for continuous improvement. Better communication from the executive branch and the administration to council members would benefit all.
Fribis: There are some members who deserve a higher grade than others. However as a whole, I would give the council a C. I am happy to see strides made toward minimizing the infighting that has plagued it for a number of years. This will continue to improve if I am elected. There are certainly members who are doing their job and serving their voters well. There are others who do not understand the role of a council member and are stalling progress by micromanaging county staff and creating unnecessary problems.
Should the County Council place a tax on the ballot that would allow voters to decide whether they want to finance the expansion of county parks programs? Why or why not? If you support the concept, should it be a sales tax or an increase in the current property tax rate?
Groeteke: I would consider this once a comprehensive plan for parks improvements is completed with details of costs, locations and completion dates. Previous efforts to put this on the ballot included no plan, only a tax. If allowed on the ballot, I would encourage the issue to be placed on a November ballot so that it will be better known to the voters. A sales tax could be a possible way to fund. The municipalities with their own parks may not want to participate.
Fribis: I am 100 percent in favor of letting the voters decide. During the pandemic, my family has struggled with the lack of recreational facilities in our county. With much of the world closed, we were desperately seeking outdoor activities. Sadly, we were traveling into other counties to use their outdoor spaces. Whether as sales tax or property tax increase would be a decision that should be reached through extensive discussions with bond council, advice from surrounding counties that have done similar projects and other experts.
What changes, if any, need to be made to the Jefferson County charter to help the county government run more efficiently?
Groeteke: The charter, if changed, needs to allow the County Council to have legal counsel that does not “work at the pleasure of the County Executive.”
Fribis: At this point, I do not know. Should I win, if there is a valid need for change, I expect it will make itself abundantly clear. As the need for change arises, and my knowledge expands, I will address it. Every strong organization should be open to change, and the County Government is no exception. Jefferson County has undergone some imperative changes over the last 20-plus years, with the implementation of things like Planning and Zoning, the Unified Development Order and the charter form of government. However, the work is never done.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Groeteke: Continued oversight of the administration. I attend meetings of school, fire and ambulance districts, East-West Gateway, the Port Authority, the Economic Development Corporation, homeowners associations, Planning and Zoning Commission and many others to gain insight about important issues. This has allowed me to make educated votes and provide oversight of the administration, as contemplated in the charter. My experience has given me the knowledge of the issues to continue to represent the people and makes me the better choice in this election.
Fribis: I am part of a demographic that is not represented by any council member. As I am in my early 30s, I am, at minimum, 20 years younger than the youngest member. The latest data shows that people over 65 only represent 15.5 percent of our county demographics, yet the council is comprised almost entirely of people near that age. As a lifelong Jefferson County resident, a successful business owner, wife and mother raising two young children, I am the absolute best representative for what the next 30-plus years in the county should bring.