Four people are in the hunt for two seats available on the Rock Township Ambulance District’s Board of Directors in the April 6 election.
Paul D. Horn, who served two previous three-year terms on the board from 1995 to 2001 and then was elected again three years ago, is running for a fourth term. Mark Paul, who was appointed to fill a vacancy in 2016 and then elected to a full term three years ago, is seeking his second full term.
They are opposed by Tara Mueller and Avery A. Fortenberry.
Members of the board are not paid.
The district covers 108 square miles in northeast Jefferson County.
MUELLER, 46, lives in Imperial She is a teacher for the Special School District. She and her husband, Tony, have three children. She has an associate degree in teaching from Jefferson College, a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in teaching with special reading from Missouri Baptist University and is pursuing a master’s degree in educational administration at Missouri Baptist University.
Her third cousin through marriage, Jon Muller, is an EMS worker for the district.
PAUL, 41, lives in Imperial. He is the general manager of a local family-owned coffee roaster and distributor. He and his wife, Michelle, have two children. He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Missouri Baptist University in 2003.
HORN, 65, lives in Arnold. He is a retired custodian from the Fox C-6 School District. He and his wife, Teresa, have two grandchildren and five grandchildren. He took nursing classes through at Mineral Area College and received an emergency medical technician certificate from University of Missouri in Columbia.
FORTENBERRY, 74, lives in Barnhart. He retired as a global sales executive manager for Southwestern Bell Telephone Co: and now works part-time at Lowe’s. He and his wife, Jann, have four children and six grandchildren. He taught advanced computer and telephony classes at St. Louis Community College. A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, he has managed 16 home builds for Jefferson County Habitat for Humanity. He earned a high school equivalency diploma and took college courses while in the Marine Corps and earned an associate degree from St. Louis Community College and a bachelor’s degree in business with a minor in communication from Maryville University.
What experience do you have (elected office, civic organizations, volunteer work, etc.) that might serve you well in this position?
Mueller: I volunteer for multiple nonprofit groups, including being a Girl Scout leader and a member of the board of directors for Decoding Dyslexia. I am also a union organizer for the Special School District National Education Association and I sit on the Legislative Committee for the NEA.
Paul: In addition to my tenure on the ambulance board, I was a Republican committeeman for Imperial Township from 2012-2016 and have been an appointed member of the Sheriff’s Office Merit Commission since 2016.
Horn: I have served three terms on the ambulance board. I also have been a member of the St. Francois County Ambulance District’s board and I was a volunteer firefighter for the Leadwood Fire Department. I also have worked as an emergency room technician.
Fortenberry: I have been corporate-trained in board management. I have served on many public boards, including the C-1 Water District, Festus Special Road District, the Jefferson County Board of Zoning Adjustment and the Republican Club as well as the nonprofit Habitat for Humanity and Judevine Center for Autism boards, among others. My knowledge of public services, building management, construction and finance is extensive. All who know me will share that I participate fully in all board meetings.
What are the biggest problems facing the district and how would you address them?
Mueller: The district has grown dramatically in the last several years. Keeping up with call volume, making sure our EMS workers are fully supported and fully staffed are areas I would like to focus on, as well as the completion of current building projects.
Paul: We serve a community of taxpaying residents who expect emergency services to respond in their most desperate times. Response times are often the single most important issue when it comes to ambulatory care. Taxpayers approved a bond issue in 2018 and we continue to use that money to improve response times by upgrading our life-saving equipment and building two new ambulance houses better located to population centers, all in a fiscally responsible manner.
Horn: The district is in the process of building two new houses from the voter-approved bond issue in 2018. This will give the district a total of six houses. Additional staffing for the two new houses while staying within budget will be a major concern this year. During the pandemic, the district has experienced its share of struggles, including lost personnel time because of exposure, call volume down because people hesitated to call for fear of exposure, either from our personnel or at the hospital. Our staff performing their jobs above and beyond their call of duty.
Fortenberry: The problems are overtime cost, mismanagement of budgets and health care services on the ambulances, including out-of-date medicines. My solutions: Planning for the expanding population and current needs of the community for the necessary services we should provide. I would improve communication with the public concerning the services we provide and how to properly use these services efficiently.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Mueller: ■ Recruit and sustain a high-quality workforce.
■ Ensure our first responders are well supported and have the resources needed to keep up with call volume.
■ Be fiscally responsible and accountable for the management of tax dollars and see current building projects through.
■ Ensuring that public health, safety and emergency medical service are top priorities.
Paul: I have been serving the community since 2012 in various ways. Never have I received a paycheck for the duties I volunteer to the community. Being an elected official is not about me; it is about serving the public and being a fiduciary to the taxpayers and community when they are not able to watch everything that takes place. I will continue to work hard for the taxpayers and advocate for transparency and accountability.
Horn: I will continue to keep the district’s costs in line while making sure we meet our obligations. I will continue to work to make sure all employees are being treated fairly and honestly. I will still work to prepare for the outcome of the tax-increment financing lawsuit between the city and the district.
Fortenberry: I would work for improvements in staffing, calls and current medications. Your tax dollars should support high-quality ambulance service delivered in a timely fashion. I want to provide a conservative voice and be an advocate for the public. I will demand answers to tough questions. You should get a dollar’s worth of service for every tax dollar you pay.