Pevely residents will get to choose five members to the Board of Aldermen after the current board voted in October to add a fourth ward.
A two-year term is available in each of the three wards that previously existed, and two seats are available in the new fourth ward, one for two years and the other for one year.
Only two people filed in the new Ward 4 – Rick Arnold and Joseph Tucker. The candidate who attracts the higher number of votes will be assigned the two-year term and the other will serve for one year.
Like the other wards, going forward one of the two seats will be elected in even-numbered years and the other in odd-numbered years.
The other three wards were redrawn and there’s competition for two of those wards.
In Ward 1, David Young opted not to run for another two-year term. He will replaced by either Marvin W. Jeffers or Erin Kasten.
Eric F. Pieper is running unopposed for the Ward 3 seat.
The Ward 2 seat has been the most controversial. The incumbent, Ed Walters, who was an alderman from 1995-1999 and returned to the board two years ago, is running for re-election. He will be challenged by Dan Hall and former Dunklin R-5 Board of Education member Linda Hahn.
David Bewig, the former Ward 3 alderman who was impeached on Dec. 7 by his fellow board members, had filed for the Ward 2 seat after his home changed wards with the redistricting into four wards.
However, the board later passed an ordinance banning impeached officials from running for an elected city office, and after Bewig filed for the Ward 2 seat, the city took the matter to court.
Jefferson County Div. 3 Circuit Judge Nathan Stewart ordered Bewig’s name removed from the ballot Feb. 16.
Hahn and Tucker did not return Leader candidate questionnaires.
Aldermen are paid $150 per month.
WARD 1
JEFFERS, 73, lives at 605 Alsace. He and his wife, Dorothy, have two children and five grandchildren. He is a retired business systems analyst from Anheuser-Busch. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and has some credits toward a master’s degree in business. He was a subdivision trustee from 1984-1992, an Elks trustee from 2002-2004 and an auditor for the Elks from 2007-2009.
KASTEN, 41, lives at 114 Chablis Court. She has two children. She is a paralegal for Duggan and Westhoff LLC an is a former probation and parole officer and program coordinator and grant manager for Criminal Justice Ministry, which houses ex-prisoners returning to the community. A 1993 graduate of HerculaneumHigh School, Kasten has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in criminal justice administration from LindenwoodUniversity. She was the treasurer of the St. Louis Area Restorative Justice Collaboration from 2006-2011, chaired the St. Louis Area Crime Victims Rights Week Event from 2007-2008 and was a member of the St. Louis Anti-Terrorism Task Force from 2008-2010.
What are the biggest problems facing the city and how would you address them?
Jeffers: Pevely should be run for the benefit of its residents, not for the benefit of officials and employees. Taxes and fees are too high, putting a hardship on residents and businesses. Spending is out of control. The city did not follow the recommendations of the state audit to not incur any more long-term debt.
Kasten: Many of the streets in Ward 1 are in need of improvement or repair. Our water and sewer systems need updating. Pevely lacks activities for children, families and seniors. I will look at creative ways to increase revenue, such as grant funding, and cut spending while maintaining or improving services. I will work to attract new businesses, especially along Hwy. Z. The road improvement project for Hwy. Z is scheduled to begin in 2017, so we need to start the process of recruiting new businesses now. For far too long, Pevely has failed to plan ahead and lacks any kind of long-term comprehensive plan. I will work to establish a strategic plan for the city going forward.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Jeffers: 1. Bring some fiscal responsibility to Pevely. Use zero-based budgeting. Don’t spend it if you don’t have it. Do a cost-to-benefit study on all money spent. Make copies of the yearly budget available to residents.
2. Bring in new businesses and reduce financial hardship on residents by reducing the utility tax from 5 percent to 3 percent.
3. Cut fees on water and sewer to cover costs only and look at reducing the merchants tax.
4. Have open meetings where any resident can ask any question of any official and get answers.
5. Reduce the number of aldermen from eight to four.
6. See if laws were broken by not having a public vote about the retirement system.
Kasten: I have attended nearly every board meeting for the past three years. I am up to date on the current issues in Pevely and familiar with laws concerning governing bodies. I have extensive experience in grant writing and management and I will push for more utilization of grant funding for projects and programs. I will actively work with the park board to bring more activities for our residents and to foster a greater sense of community. I will work for infrastructure improvements in Ward 1 and throughout the city.
How would you assess the performance of the Board of Aldermen and the mayor over the last year?
Jeffers: Unsatisfactory. Without a vote by residents, the board passed a $9 million-plus employee retirement system, changed the number of aldermen from six to eight, changed the requirements to run for alderman and spent more than $100,000 in legal fees and a settlement with more to come. I have not heard of any cost cuts.
Kasten: This board has had to handle some controversial issues recently, including the impeachment of a fellow alderman. Even though that decision may have been difficult, this board has shown that it will do what is necessary to properly govern our city. There has been more professionalism demonstrated by the current board than I have seen in the last three years. In recent years, employees were micromanaged and morale was at an all-time low. I have witnessed changes in employee morale with the current board. While there are always improvements to be made, the current board is on the right track to move forward in a positive direction.
WARD 2
WALTERS, 59, lives at 672 Riverview Drive. He is a retired foreman and roofer from Western Construction Co. in St. Louis. He graduated from high school in 1975. In addition to his six years of aldermanic service, he also was a member of the city’s planning and zoning and park boards. He also volunteers for the Meals on Wheels program at the QuadCitySeniorCenter.
HALL, 67, lives at 25 Main St. He and his wife, Lavonna, have four children and six grandchildren. He is a retired field technician for Geotest. He attended SoutheastMissouriStateUniversity for two years. He has been on the city’s Park Board since 2015.
What are the biggest problems facing the city and how would you address them?
Walters: The city has a public image problem that is directly impacting our ability to establish sustainable economic growth. Recent publicized events should not tarnish an entire community. The residents of Pevely are hard-working citizens whose values are grounded in faith and family. The city offers outstanding amenities such as major infrastructure (water, sewer) with the capacity for significant growth. I am committed to working hard at putting what is best for the residents and city before politics and personal agendas. I will continue to explore opportunities that focus on the economic health of the city and businesses with an open mind.
Hall: Overspending. The current board and mayor have committed to an additional $7.2 million over 30 years to (the city employees’ retirement system) after voters rejected it three times, on top of the money still owed for the neighborhood improvement district for the Southern Heights subdivision. The board has made no plans for additional revenue other than the residents paying more.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Walters: During my first term, I was unanimously selected to serve as the president of the board and also was mayor pro tem. I managed a group of financial organizations in the formulation of a bond redemption option for the Southern Heights subdivision. We worked with the Jefferson County Council to reduce the city’s financial liability associated with tax-delinquent properties. I was instrumental in the accomplishment of several key initiatives while maintaining a balanced budget without raising water and sewer rates. I monitored the monthly expenditures to ensure the city meets its financial obligations while maintaining a balanced budget. I would improve community relations, champion professionalism in city activities and prudent budget management and attract retail and dining venues.
Hall: I have never run for office before so I can look at this city’s needs from the outside. There is too much bickering and too many personal attacks on residents to objectively run the city. I would like to see the city do more for the residents, such as road and sidewalk repairs throughout the city, a gazebo on city-owned property and more interaction with business leaders.
How would you assess the performance of the Board of Aldermen and the mayor over the past year?
Walters: Following the April 2015 election, the current board was confronted with unruly meetings, public ridicule, lawsuits, an impeachment and court litigation. Even with all these distractions, the board developed a balanced annual budget that included capital improvement projects. We also corrected staffing shortages in the Public Safety Department to ensure the community has adequate police protection. We established communication with potential developers. This board came through all the controversy with a greater understanding of residents’ concerns and expectations. This board has melded into a cohesive body, ready to address the community’s challenges in a professional, transparent manner.
Hall: The current mayor and Board of Aldermen passed a (city employee retirement system) increase that had been rejected by voters three times. They have spent countless tax dollars on a vendetta against an alderman who had less than four months to serve. They have little regard for the needs or wants of the residents. My objective is to make Pevely a place to be proud of and a good place to call home. Both of my opponents have served on the board and neither made a difference.
WARD 4
ARNOLD, 54, lives at 8571 Metropolitan Blvd. He and his wife, Wendy, have five children and six grandchildren. He is semi-retired after owning RCA Custom Wheel Outlet for more than 26 years. He is a driver for the Disabilities Resource Association. He is a 1980 graduate of HerculaneumHigh School. He was on the Pevely Planning and Zoning Board for 12 years, the Pevely Police Commission for two years, Pevely’s Board of Adjustment for five years, and served as interim mayor from December 2014 to April 2015. He has also been a member of the Dunklin R-5 school board for nine years.
What are the biggest problems facing the city and how would you address them?
Arnold: Stability and moving forward to get new businesses.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Arnold: I feel I can work well with both sides. I will not hide from the issues.
How would you assess the performance of the Board of Aldermen and the mayor over the past year.
Arnold: Very tough question. I was mayor the first four months of 2105. We have to the let the city administrator do his job and show support. It’s easy to sit back and criticize without having all the facts and I do not because I’m now an outsider. I have faith in City Administrator Dickie Brown and the board should support him.