Three people are seeking to fill a vacant position on the Jefferson County Council in the Aug. 2 election.
The District 5 seat has not been filled since April, when Tracey Perry, who was in the final year of her first four-year term and did not file for re-election, resigned amid questions about her residency in the district.
The six remaining council members agreed to not immediately appoint a successor, a process that would take several weeks, but instead decided that the winner of the Aug. 2 election would be appointed to the District 5 seat as soon as possible after the election.
That person would serve until January, when he would be sworn into a full two-year term.
Three Republicans are running for the seat: Scott Seek, Tony Pousosa and Robert “Bobby” Kaye. No Democrats filed for the seat.
County Council representatives are paid $11,650 a year.
SEEK, 47, of Festus has worked in Jefferson County for almost 15 years as a financial adviser. He and his wife, Jodie, have two children. He attended Jefferson College in 1994, received an EMT-paramedic studies certification from Hannibal-LaGrange College in 1999, graduated from Truman State University with two bachelor’s degrees in 2003, and earned a master’s degree in business administration from Fontbonne University in 2008.
Website/social media: Facebook: scottseekjeffco
POUSOSA, 51, of Herculaneum is a staff registered nurse at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. He and his wife, Kelsi, have three children. He earned a diploma of nursing in 2000 from Missouri Baptist University.
Website: tonypousosa.com
KAYE, 29, of Festus is the president of Lorenzen Candle Corp. He and his wife, Rebecca, have two children. He attended classes in mechanical engineering and aviation management at St. Louis University before dropping out to start a business.
Website: kayetoday.com
What experience do you have (elected office, civic organizations, volunteer work, etc.) that might serve you well in this position?
Seek: I have spent more than a decade working in Jefferson County to help better the lives of our community. I grew up in Jefferson County and run a successful business here. I am on a number of growth and civic-minded organizations including the Jefferson County Growth Association, the Jefferson County Tourism Commission, Rotary, Trailnet, YMCA board and others. When I am asked to serve I step up and serve with pride.
Pousosa: I was an alderman in Green Park from 2007-2019 and a member of that city’s Planning and Zoning Commission from 2008-2018.
Kaye: I serve on the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night executive committee. I have also been an adult volunteer with the Boy Scouts for more than a decade. I started a manufacturing business in my basement and grew it into a multi-million dollar business within five years. I have real world experience with planning for the future, building consensus, executing strategy and getting along with people of varying ages, backgrounds, and beliefs.
What are the biggest problems facing your County Council district and how would you address them?
Seek: Our opportunities for growth have never been better. I am committed to helping stimulate the economy through tourism, the port system and commerce throughout the region. I will support increases in our broadband capabilities. Our county government needs major overhauls, from the jail and courthouse to parks and planning and zoning. I will champion growth in air, land and water, calling on our abundant resources. By focusing our efforts to bring the right people into Jefferson County, we will be able to expand our reach throughout the world.
Pousosa: I would restore checks and balances to county government. I would improve the P&Z process by allowing people to speak to their concerns regarding future developments. I would provide notification on the county website and local public media outlets, not lawyer publications, for all developments, special meetings and open houses. We need a better information systems management. Currently, each department uses a different format, causing delays. I would like to see fiscal notes used for all legislation dealing with tax money.
Kaye: Supporting small businesses and keeping taxes low. I know how hard it is to earn a dollar and how easy it is for the government to take it away. Trying to raise sales taxes during the highest inflationary period in our history, like what the County Council did during the April election with the parks tax, was bad policy and would have hit our fixed income population the hardest. I will fight to keep taxes and red tape low for everyone.
What grade would you give the current County Council and why? What improvements would you make?
Seek: C-plus. It has accomplished a number of great things, from supporting tourism to working with the East-West Gateway Council of Governments through the Port Authority to get our county moving toward growth. It tends to move through the workload with the appearance of impertinence. While this may not be true, the optics have caused strife. I can create processes that will help to improve the public’s interaction with the council and other boards to address problems. Our success relies on our ability to work with one another.
Pousosa: D-minus. The current council members, except for two, have pushed through developments such as the Polo Fields in the Eureka area and apartment developments without listening to the people who live in those areas. We need to update the county master plan and the county charter with the intention of bringing more transparency to our government, restoring the peoples’ voice and restoring confidence in their elected leadership.
Kaye: The County Council is supposed to legislate and be responsive to constituents. There are a couple of members who do not respond to their constituents when they call or email with questions, which is unacceptable. There has also been an issue with elected officials working for special interests who pour a lot of money into political campaigns instead of working for the people. I will work for the people I represent, which is why I have self-financed my campaign and declined special-interest money.
What role should the County Council take to encourage residential and commercial growth?
Seek: The planning and zoning process needs to be overhauled with technology to allow the council to listen to the public. I want to work on our taxing structure to take away the incentive to build for the sake of filling the county with rooftops. Property taxes should be replaced by use and business taxes so that our county’s success is dictated by our value to the world, not by how many houses we can cram into the county. We want to grow right and build quality over quantity.
Pousosa: Identifying and building on the county’s economic strengths, encouraging free enterprise and innovation. Keeping county taxpayers informed, including them when possible in the decision-making and marketing of the county.
Kaye: The council should create an environment that attracts good-paying, clean manufacturing jobs that support the community while keeping our environment free of contaminants. More products should be made in America and we can be a part of making that happen with low taxes and limited red tape. Also, protecting the rural character of Jefferson County and ensuring everyone has input during the upcoming master plan revision. Smart development ensures that the appropriate infrastructure is in place and that residents and neighbors are supportive of the plans.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Seek: The issues of our county are complex and require a long vision. It is vitally important that the plans are transparent and reduce the amount of government intervention. I stand for less government, less taxes and more growth. I understand our county government from the lens of economics and growth opportunities. I see the dangers and influence that China and others will yield. It will be greatly important for someone who is trained to deal with these entities to help usher in the growth we are about to receive. I am the only candidate who checks all the boxes.
Pousosa: My hands-on experiences serving as alderman and P&Z commissioner have given me valuable knowledge to understand the delicate balance between community needs and preserving individual rights. My goals:
■ Support law enforcement and provide more county government transparency. Voices need to be heard.
■ Update the master plan to include a new airport location as well as the charter, including residents in both processes.
■ Hold quarterly or as-needed town hall meetings in the district.
■ Return horses to county parks.
■ Maintain the balance between urban and rural areas.
■ Address mental health and drug addiction issues.
Kaye: I am not a career politician and I have real-world experience with setting goals and achieving them. I want voter approval of elected official pay increases – they should have to make the case to voters why they deserve a raise to avoid conflicts of interest. Council members should be registered to vote at an address within the district they represent. County tax increase proposals should only appear on ballots during November elections. I will respond to my constituents in a timely manner and will treat my fellow council members how I want to be treated.