Voters in the Rock Township Ambulance District will choose two members of its Board of Directors in the April 4 election.
One of the incumbents, Jeremy Day, has filed for a second three-year term. The other, Lindsay Fry Sleet, opted not to run for a second term.
Day will be joined on the ballot by Mandy Dockery, former member Paul D. Horn and Bob Butler.
Members of the board have consistently voted not to accept pay for their service.
DAY, 46, of Imperial works for Arnold Air and More. He and his wife, Julie, have two children. He is a 1995 graduate of Eureka High School.
DOCKERY, 43, of Imperial is a nurse case manager for United Healthcare and a part-time emergency department nurse for Mercy Hospital. She has a son. She has bachelor’s degrees in nursing and economics from St. Louis University and a certificate in business administration.
HORN, 67, of Arnold is retired from the Fox C-6 School District. He and his wife, Teresa, have two children and five granddaughters. He studied nursing at Mineral Area College and received an emergency medical technician certificate from the University of Missouri in Columbia.
BUTLER, 58, of Barnhart is an attorney at the Hillsboro law firm of Butler and Kemper. He and his wife, Miriam, have four children. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1986 and a law degree in 1989, both from the University of Missouri in Columbia.
What experience do you have (elected office, civic organizations, volunteer work, etc.) that might serve you well in this position?
Day: I have been secretary of the Rock Township board since 2020, have been on the executive board of American Legion Post 253 and am president of the Jefferson County Pachyderm Club.
Dockery: I have 14 years of experience in bedside emergency nursing. I have worked with and assumed patient care from both EMTs and paramedics for several years. I have an in-depth understanding of pre-hospital and emergency medicine, which will allow me to provide the necessary oversight that the taxpayers need and deserve.
Horn: I served two previous terms on the board from 1995-2001. I have been a member of the St. Francois County Ambulance District and a volunteer firefighter for the Leadwood Fire Department. I also have worked as an emergency room technician.
Butler: I am a longtime member of the community. For 23 years, I have operated a small business, and I am familiar with managing and budgeting organizations. Additionally, I have chaired community and local organizations and committees involved in budgeting and strategic planning.
What are the biggest problems facing the district and how would you address them?
Day: The rising cost of operational needs. The price of health care, medical supplies, ambulances and fuel have doubled since 2020. If those increases are not kept under control, several first-responder districts will either ask for tax increases or cuts. Luckily, we are the wealthiest district in the county and can afford some of those hits with good budgeting and conservative values.
Dockery: Providing the highest standard of care and delivering that care to the taxpayer should always be our primary concern. This should focus on retention, recruitment and support of Advanced Life Support-qualified staff who will continue to receive the best available training and medical control oversight. This will necessitate the continued strategic planning for funding and staffing of the district appropriately.
Horn: From my understanding, Rock Township has made an agreement with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office to build a house in Seckman Valley, so this will require hiring additional crews. The board and the administration of the district need to develop a plan to keep up with the growing population in the areas served. Retention of our paramedics needs to be made a top priority.
Butler: Recruiting and retaining outstanding paramedics is going to be a constant issue. The district competes with other local and regional districts for the best-trained individuals. The district will need to keep its payroll, training and equipment on a scale with competing districts to remain competitive.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Day: We have accomplished a lot over the last three years. We replaced two old ambulance houses with new ones in more populated areas. Soon we will open House 5 in Seckman Valley in a joint project with the Sheriff’s Office, which should improve response times. We have settled the $1.9 million lawsuit with Arnold. We have made sure our employees have not been badly burdened by the higher cost of living with good compensation.
Dockery: I have the knowledge and experience to advocate for all residents. I have seen the impact that highly trained pre-hospital clinicians can make in the lives of people. My goal is to ensure that highly trained and experienced paramedics are staffing our ambulances with the best equipment available, while providing the best available response and coverage across the district. I am not politically motivated and will serve the best interest of residents.
Horn: I have experience from having served on the board in the past. I consider it a privilege and an honor to serve on this board. It is the duty of the board to be financially responsible with the budget and to be accountable that the taxpayers’ dollars are used wisely. The district needs to have updated equipment and ensure that all equipment is in good working condition and ensure that all staff receive current training.
Butler: My priorities are to emphasize the recruitment and retention of qualified first responders for the community. Secondly, we must provide our first responders with the training and equipment to serve our community’s health care needs safely and effectively. Additionally, giving oversight to guarantee the district is operating in a fiscally responsible manner.