Jefferson County District 3 Councilwoman Lori Arons faces a challenger in the Aug. 4 primary.
Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Commissioner Johnathan Sparks will run against Arons on the Republican Party ballot.
No Democrats filed for the seat, so whoever wins the August primary will run unopposed in the November election.
Arons was appointed to the council in January 2024 when Shannon Otto resigned 11 months into her first term.
Councilmembers serve four-year terms and are given an annual stipend of about $13,929.
Arons, 64, of Imperial is a retired Fox C-6 School District teacher. Arons’ husband is Leonard, and she has two children. She has a bachelor’s degree in K-12 vocal music education from MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, Kan., a master’s degree in educational administration from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar and a certification in K-12 library science from Missouri Baptist University in Creve Coeur. She volunteers with the Arnold Aging Ahead Senior Center every Monday and Wednesday. She began a Facebook group called Jeffco Voters Voices for Responsible Development in Jefferson County in 2023 and removed herself as group administrator when she was appointed to the County Council in 2024.
Sparks, 50, of Imperial is the Commvault backup recovery engineer at Mercy Hospital. He’s worked in IT for Mercy for the last 19 years. Sparks graduated from the United States Coast Guard Basic Training Camp in Cape May, N.J., and underwent search and rescue training, boarding team qualifications and tactical law enforcement training in Station Grand Isle, La. He has worked as a logistics supervisor for UPS in Oak Creek, Wisc. and as a logistics associate for The Home Depot in various states. He studied graphic design and general studies for two years at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Milwaukee, Wisc., and earned an associate degree in system administration from ITT Technical Institute. Sparks is a trustee for the Country Forest Subdivision homeowner’s association and is a member of the St. Louis Odd Fellows Lodge No. 5 and American Legion Post 283 in Imperial. He volunteers through Mercy Days of Service and the Odd Fellows Lodge.
Why should voters elect you, and what are your goals if elected?
Arons: I believe voters should elect me because I have demonstrated honest, dedicated leadership in District 3. I work hard to listen to residents, be involved in the community and keep people informed. I also believe District 3 has tremendous opportunities ahead.
One of my goals is to strengthen the relationship between Arnold and Jefferson County. Part of District 3 is within the city of Arnold, so it is important for the city and county to work together.
I also want infrastructure improvements in our unincorporated areas. Sidewalks are becoming more important near schools, parks, shopping areas and neighborhoods with pedestrian traffic. As our population grows, safety must be part of our long-term planning. Another priority is increasing public involvement. An informed community is a stronger community. I want more residents to attend meetings, ask questions and vote.
Sparks: I believe I have a specific skill set for what is coming in the future to Jefferson County. I have served on the P and Z commission for over three years and have held builders accountable for their projects. Following the UDO and the master plan is very important. I am just a commissioner right now. My vote is just a recommendation to the council. I want to bring that vote to the council level. My years of working in the IT field and having firsthand experience in building the Mercy Data Center in Washington gives me a perspective that few have: what worked, what did not, what we struggled with in building our data center and a fundamental understanding of how these facilities work. If it is a question of when and not if these are built in Jefferson County, I want to help steer the ship.
If Jefferson County seeks to grow, what are the best opportunities for achieving it?
Arons: I became involved in county government before I was appointed as councilwoman because I care deeply about responsible development in Jefferson County. Growth is coming to our county, but it must be good development. New proposed developments meet our codes and ordinances because we require every project to comply. The county has completed a new master plan, which serves as our road map for future development. We are also updating the UDO. Growth should create jobs, strengthen our tax base and provide housing options. The I-55 corridor offers one of our best opportunities for commercial growth. There are other areas where growth can and will come. However, development must not overwhelm our infrastructure, harm the environment or erase the character of our communities. Responsible development is thoughtful growth that follows the master plan and UDO while protecting the people who already call Jefferson County home.
Sparks: I feel that one of the reasons I moved to Jefferson County was because of the people who live here. They are our best asset for growth. They have built this county over generations of hard work and tenacity, carving out a place with a variety of areas for everyone to enjoy. Many small businesses are staples in the community, where strangers are just friends you have not met yet. We need more of those places in Jefferson County. We also need industry in Jefferson County. Places where our neighbors can work and keep living in the county they love. The best opportunities are the ones we make for ourselves, but we must be selective and weigh the good opportunities against the bad. We, as a community, need to come together and seek out those good opportunities. Along with our county leaders, we can all benefit from growth.
Do you support the development of data centers in Jefferson County? Why or why not?
Arons: For years, companies have encouraged us to store photos, music, medical records and all of our personal information in “The Cloud.” We have been asked to back up all our information to “The Cloud” regularly to keep it safe. However, it is actually a network of data centers filled with computers that securely store and manage our information. I understand residents have concerns about data centers. Those concerns deserve honest answers. We must require transparency, public input and strong standards that protect our environment, infrastructure and quality of life. Jefferson County spent several months creating a new Article X to the Unified Development Order, titled “Data Center Regulations and Performance Standards,” establishing regulatory standards for data centers in Jefferson County. If data centers are planned responsibly, they can strengthen our tax base, create long-term economic benefits, support national security and keep sensitive information stored securely in the United States.
Sparks: As a former data center engineer, I am in favor of data centers. Now let’s be clear here: data centers are already in Jefferson County. Every hospital, police station, bank, public library and many other places you would not even imagine have data centers. A data center can be as small as a living room, or as large as a football field. For security reasons, most data centers want to be out of sight and out of mind. They need to be built to ensure that our private data will always be held by companies that are subject to the rules and laws governing the United States of America. In the IT field, we call this having your data “ON PREM” or on premises, the premises being the USA. The alternative is “OFF PREM” or off premises. This could be any country around the world.
What is the biggest threat to the quality of life in Jefferson County?
Arons: I believe the most important issue facing Jefferson County is managing growth responsibly. Responsible development is a core priority of mine. I understand that growth is coming. The question is whether we plan for it and make sure our current infrastructure can handle the new developments. Growth brings new jobs, businesses and economic opportunities. It also creates challenges. Residents experience those challenges through heavier traffic, flooding, stormwater concerns and increasing demands on roads and public services. That is why I supported the development of our new master plan and the ongoing updates to the UDO. Growth is essential for our county. I believe my efforts have encouraged developers to deliver high-quality development to the county. We are seeing the results with many new developments.
Sparks: The biggest threat to the quality of life in Jefferson County is the same for any place on a map: stagnation. You do not have to look back very far to see what happens when stagnation sets into a system. Lack of maintenance and upkeep is soon to follow. Not looking for improvements in infrastructure are not too far behind that. The wheels and levers that were once maintained start to break down. Then the whispers of the people who remember how things used to be. “What happened?” they will say. The answer is nothing happened, nothing progressed, no risks were taken. The risk to quality of life is that you have taken no risk. And as we know, with no risk comes no reward. Risk must be measured and weighed against the future. Taking no action is still an action taken.
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