Six people have filed to fill a pair of seats on the Jefferson College Board of Trustees in the April 6 election.
The two incumbents are seeking re-election. Steve Meinberg is running for his third six-year term while Retta “Susan” Tuggle is seeking her first full term after winning an election to years ago to fill a vacancy created when Barb Stocker moved from the area.
Seeking to unseat one of the incumbents are Marc Williams, Ayad Ali, Richard Hardin and Avery A. Fortenberry.
Hardin, a Festus resident, did not return a Leader candidate questionnaires.
The six-member board is unpaid.
MEINBERG, 65, lives in Imperial. He is the Hillsboro police chief and formerly was a lieutenant colonel and the undersheriff of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. He and his wife, Sue, have two children and one grandchild. He received an associate degree in law enforcement and business management from Jefferson College and a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science and criminal justice from Missouri Baptist University.
He is also an adjunct instructor at the college’s Jefferson County Law Enforcement Academy.
WILLIAMS, 21, lives in Hillsboro. is a teacher’s aide for the Hillsboro R-3 School District. He is single. A 2018 graduate of Hillsboro High School, he attended Jefferson College and received an associate degree in legal studies at Ashworth College in 2019. He is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in education at Ashworth College.
ALI, 38, lives in Festus. He is an information technology solutions architect and owner of American Information Systems LLC. He is married to Ginger and is father to one child. He received an associate degree in information technology from Jefferson College in 2013. He worked for nearly four years as a senior network analyst for the college’s data center but resigned to focus on his business.
TUGGLE, 73, lives in Eureka. She and her husband, Danny, have three children and three grandchildren. She is retired after being a co-owner of the House Springs Golf Course. She was an area sales manager for the JCPPC Insurance Co. She has attended school at St. Louis University and in Westerville, Ohio, and Dallas and studied art at Meramec Community College. She has been on the Northwest R-1 Board of Education for 15 years and is its current president.
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?
Meinberg: I have been on the Board of Trustees for 12 years, eight as the board president. I have also served 15 years on the Windsor C-1 Board of Education. I am or have been involved in numerous volunteer organizations such as Salvation Army, Boy Scouts, Rotary, BackStoppers and the Jefferson County Veterans Tribute Board.
Williams: I was involved in student government when I attended Hillsboro High School and was also in the Student Senate at Jefferson College. That experience is valuable because I understand the concerns of students and the community. I also work in education.
Ali: I have been involved with Jefferson College for eight years, four years as a senior network analyst in addition to four years as a student. My daughter attended the college’s Child Development Center for three years. My experience as a student, an employee, a community member and my understanding of the college’s strengths, weaknesses, challenges, needs and its crucial role to our community will serve me well as a trustee.
Tuggle: In addition to my tenure on the Northwest R-1 school board, I’m an assistant governor of Area 6060 of the Rotary Clubs, president of the Jefferson County Library Board, vice president of Court Appointed Special Advocates, am on the Mercy Jefferson Foundation board and a member of Women on a Mission. I am board member and former president of the Northwest Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce and am a member of the Hwy. 30 Foundation.
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 college and how would you address them?
Meinberg: Sustaining enrollment is the largest issue. We must remain competitive with other institutions. One way to do that is by keeping tuition rates low. We must keep our excellent teaching staff and compensate them accordingly. Finances are also a large issue, especially when there are cuts or withholdings from the state. We would continue to be creative in our service delivery to cut costs and work closely with the Governor’s Office and Legislature to stop cuts and withholdings in the state budget for education.
Williams: We need to make sure that the college provides a quality education without increasing tuition. We need to work on adding more trade programs and we need to help people find jobs after graduating.
Ali: Many problems are facing Jefferson College besides the pandemic: The steady decline in enrollment, bureaucracy, fragile unity, financial threats and instability, lack of diversity, lack of accountability and lack of progressive actions, inequality, unfairness in employee compensation, and the growing gap between the college and our community’s needs.
Tuggle: The decline in enrollment over the last year because of COVID. We need to make sure we are contacting all the high schools to let students know the opportunities that the college and the Area Technical School offer.
Fortenberry: Student safety, teacher retention, competitive wages and demographic changes. I would establish committees to review all of those subjects to develop guidelines for implementation of the best practices.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Meinberg: My institutional knowledge and connection to elementary and secondary education gives me great insight to these needs and is a great asset into fixing them. My goals are always to address the above problems. I try not to throw money at things for fixes but use technology when I can to trim fat or make us more efficient.
Williams: I was part of the student government when I attended the college, so I understand the needs and concerns of the students and of the community and will work to address them. I will make sure students are prepared for jobs immediately after graduation.
Ali: ■ Improve the college effectiveness and unity, in communication and actions, among its various departments.
■ Bring accountability, fairness, diversity, equality and fair performance-based compensation to employees.
■ Identify areas of need for improvements and work toward progressive solutions.
■ Explore new ways to not provide education.
■ Bring prosperity to our community through students’ success during their college years and after by using safe, modern and effective methods of outreach, education, science and technology.
Tuggle: I negotiated getting Jefferson College to open a branch in the Northwest corridor. I would love to have the opportunity to be involved in getting a branch on the Hwy. 30 corridor again. Being on the college board and the Northwest R-1 Board of Education at the same time, I would make sure that Northwest students are taking advantage of opportunities offered by Jefferson College, which would benefit the college. The two years I have spent on the board has made me more enthusiastic about serving the college, its staff and students.
Fortenberry: Children are a parent’s greatest asset. We send our children to college so that they may learn, develop socially and become valued members of society. This matriculation of the student and guidance by the parents and professors are the legacy we give to the world. I would work to fulfill your vision.
What letter grade would you give the board on its reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic?
Meinberg: I would give the administration, staff, maintenance, and students an A-plus. They’ve done a great job in getting ahead of the issue on campus. Their continued vigilance has paid off in keeping students, employees and the campus safe.
Williams: I would give the college an A because they did all that they could during these unprecedented times.
Ali: Many college employees at multiple levels have gone above and beyond their duties to step up and spring into action to identify, lead, and react quickly to COVID-19.
Tuggle: A. There has been a lot of work to make sure everything has gone smoothly.
Fortenberry: I would give the board a D.