The race for Jefferson County Council District 5 is crowded in the Aug. 4 primary, with four Republicans duking it out for the four-year term.
Councilman Scott Seek vacated the District 5 seat in January, amid controversy over his vote to reappoint his father to the Jefferson County Port Authority Board of Commissioners, an unpaid volunteer position.
The council appointed Tim Bennett Jr. of Festus to fill the seat in March, and Bennett has filed to run for a full term in the August primary. Other candidates are Anthony Pousosa, John Jay Lee and Misty Whetstone.
No Democrats have filed for the seat, so whoever wins the primary will run unopposed in the November election.
Councilmembers receive an annual stipend of approximately $13,929.
Pousosa, 55, of Festus is an operating room registered nurse at BJC Health. Pousosa is married to Kelsi and has three children. He earned a nursing diploma from the Missouri Baptist School of Nursing in St. Louis. He was elected as a Green Park alderman and served from 2007-2019. He also served on the Green Park Planning and Zoning Commission from 2009-2019. He served on the St. Louis County Legislative Affairs Committee from 2010-2011 and was a Concord Township Committeeman from 2010-2018. He was the First Senatorial District Republican state committeeman from 2013-2018 and was part of the St. Louis County Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association from 2009-2015. He was a St. Louis County CPAAA board member from 2009-2013. He has been a Knights of Columbus member since 2007.
Bennett, 40, of Festus is the director of the Flag Football Festus Tiger Youth Football Program. He graduated from Hillsboro High School and went on to earn an associate degree in criminal justice from Jefferson College and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Missouri Baptist University in Creve Coeur. Bennett worked in the Jefferson County Jail as a corrections officer and worked as a police officer for other departments. Bennett served on the Festus Planning and Zoning Commission in 2025 and 2026. He has been an Elks member since 2007 and an NRA member since 2022. Bennett and his wife, Stephanie, have four children.
Lee, 55, of Festus has worked as an agent with Shelter Insurance for 27 years. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Washington University in St. Louis. He worked for Jefferson County from approximately August 1989 through March 1998 while attending college.
Lee is married to Melissa and has four adult children. Lee served on a school board and was a committeeman in the 1990s and served as an alderman in the 2000s. He is an Elks member and a former Rotarian. He is a Plattin Roch Boat Club member and a member of multiple Republican clubs and organizations.
Whetstone, 46, of Festus is a small-business owner, real estate broker, mortgage loan officer and licensed notary. Whetstone and her husband, William, have seven children and two grandchildren. She graduated from Fontbonne University with a business and finance degree.
Why should voters elect you, and what are your goals if elected?
Pousosa: I stand for transparency and bringing fresh ideas with a positive perspective to help guide the future direction of the 5th District and county. My goal is to listen to people’s concerns and make sure they are informed as new developments or legislation are proposed. Coalition building and bringing people together to solve problems equals teamwork. County growth should be thoughtful, strategic and built to serve families, businesses and future generations. I would make sure that any development that comes in would be transparent, following the master plan and the Unified Development Order of the county.
Bennett: I am a hard-working lifelong resident of Jefferson County. I am raising my family here and want to see things come to the county that would benefit the county and the residents for years to come: jobs, family-oriented entertainment and economic benefits to lower the tax burden of residents. Public safety is the top priority. I want the residents to feel safe when they are at home or anytime they leave the house. Making sure the tax burden on seniors and those on fixed incomes does not drive them from their homes. They have spent a lifetime making sure we were set for the future. It is our turn to return the favor to them, as well as making sure our future is stable for the next generation.
Lee: I am the only candidate who is professionally qualified, with the educational credentials and has a proven track record of electability. My immediate goals are to cut day-to-day spending while finding a path to capital improvements, specifically a court building and sheriff’s department. At this time, both existing buildings are in such a state of disrepair that they have become a liability. If we are to continue to grow as a commercial hub with the massive growth we’ve experienced in recent years, we have overlooked one of our greatest assets, which was our airport and the placement of the new airport, whichever it may be, private or publicly owned.
Whetstone: I am running because I believe Jefferson County deserves leaders who listen, communicate openly and put people first. As a lifelong resident, business owner and taxpayer, I understand the importance of responsible spending, transparency and planning for the future. If elected, I will work to improve communication between county government and the people it serves, support responsible growth with the infrastructure to support it, protect our quality of life and make decisions based on what is best for our community, not special interests. I am not a career politician. I am your neighbor, and I will work hard to earn your trust by being accessible, accountable and focused on the needs of the citizens of District 5 and all of Jefferson County.
If Jefferson County seeks to grow, what are the best opportunities for achieving it?
Pousosa: To simplify the application process for business owners who want to bring development opportunities to Jefferson County. This can be achieved by eliminating duplicate paperwork between county departments, which will help streamline the process.
Bennett: Having economic development that keeps tax dollars in Jefferson County. We want to see the jobs stay in the county. I would like for our children to be able to find work close to home instead of having to travel to other counties or states even for work. I would like to see more family-oriented development in the county in District 5. According to the master plan, District 5 would be considered “high growth.” But that does not mean we allow every single development in our county either. It has to be planned out, and a net gain to the county. I do not want to see District 5 turn into St. Charles or St. Louis. I do believe there is a good middle ground that keeps our economic developments open but still lets us keep our hometown county feel.
Lee: In recent years, residential growth has exploded in Jefferson County’s 5th District. Our district has been blessed with residential improvements (growth) beyond any other district in the county. This is an opportunity to carefully evaluate where the growth should extend and protect existing neighborhoods from inappropriately placed industrial development.
Whetstone: Jefferson County should pursue smart, responsible growth that benefits the people who already live here. We should support local businesses, attract employers who provide quality jobs and encourage development that strengthens our communities. Growth must be planned with the necessary roads, utilities, emergency services and infrastructure in place before major projects move forward. We should also invest in workforce development, public safety and revitalizing existing commercial areas while protecting the character of our neighborhoods and natural resources. Growth should never come at the expense of transparency or public input. By working together with residents, businesses and local leaders, we can create opportunities that strengthen our economy, increase our tax base and preserve the quality of life that makes Jefferson County a great place to call home.
Do you support the development of data centers in Jefferson County? Why or why not?
Pousosa: While I’m pro-development, seeing the way data center development has been introduced around the country and Festus, the people that it will affect the most have been left out of the discussion process and not given any opportunity for community input. Therefore, I am not in favor of data center development due to the lack of transparency, non-disclosure agreements and secretive meetings. CRG has just now released its plans to the residents of Festus via website. This information regarding any conceptual plan should’ve been released last year to the public. I stand with the people of my district who want to be heard.
Bennett: It would have to be the right place for the project. I would not go into office with a dedicated yes or no vote. I would see what the options are, listen to the residents of the county and make a decision based on those things. This is not a simple yes, I support it, or no, I do not support it. There are a lot of different factors that go into these decisions. I would also take these considerations into any development that would want to come to the county.
Lee: I support responsible development whether it be industrial, commercial or residential. That being said, I am gravely concerned about the placement of such developments. When District 5 has beautiful residential communities surrounded by agriculturally assessed, vacant ground, of course I recognize families will be beyond livid if their new neighbor is now industrial. Again, I will always support growth, but families will always come first in all my decisions.
Whetstone: Based on the information currently available, I do not believe large-scale data centers are the right fit for Jefferson County. My concerns include their potential impact on our water resources, environment, infrastructure and farmland as well as whether the promised economic benefits outweigh the long-term costs. Jefferson County has experienced the lasting effects of industrial decisions before, and we should learn from that history. Just as importantly, I believe government has a responsibility to listen to its residents. Many citizens have voiced serious concerns and asked county leaders to slow down and fully evaluate these proposals. Their voices matter. Before making irreversible decisions, we owe it to our community to ask the hard questions, gather the facts and ensure any project truly serves the long-term interests of Jefferson County – not just today, but for future generations.
What is the biggest threat to the quality of life in Jefferson County?
Pousosa: The biggest threat to quality of life in Jefferson County is overdevelopment that puts potential revenue before infrastructure needs that negatively affects constituents living in or around the proposed area. Jefferson County can facilitate sustainable growth by focusing development in areas already served by infrastructure, thereby embracing and keeping its natural and rural character intact.
Bennett: Sustainability. If we do not find a way to cope together and not fight one another over our county growing, we will be passed by, and the county will slowly start to fail. I don’t want to lose our nice rural hometown feel either. It is one of the greatest things we have to offer. But there is a way to have both. We have to work together to find that solution. Developers will pass us up; they have already started to. We must come together to help the county prosper.
Lee: Traffic. The 5th District has three of the best resources Jefferson County has to offer. Those resources are I-55, Hwy. 61-67 and the Mississippi River. I-55 cannot be completed soon enough. Hwy. 61-67 is one of my personal largest disappointments in our district that affects all four municipalities. Imagine a bike path, sidewalks and streetlights from Pevely north of city limits to the roundabouts in south Crystal City. (Also, I’m a proponent of “No more roundabouts in 5th District.” I challenge you to find one person who loves roundabouts.) Again, imagine a 30-mph speed limit through our town with safe crosswalks, streetlights, a bike path and sidewalks.
Whetstone: I believe the biggest threat to Jefferson County’s quality of life is growth without proper planning or public input. We all want our county to prosper, but growth should never come at the expense of our farmland, natural resources, infrastructure or the character of our communities. When decisions are rushed or made without fully listening to residents, trust in government suffers. Jefferson County can grow while still protecting what makes it a great place to live. That means investing in roads, public safety and infrastructure before approving major developments, preserving our natural resources and ensuring citizens have a meaningful voice in the decision-making process. Our quality of life depends on responsible leadership that plans for the future, values transparency and remembers that government exists to serve the people – not the other way around.
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