It’s been 10 years since Robert A. Berry faced an opponent in a campaign to represent Ward 1 on the Eureka Board of Aldermen.
Berry, running for an open seat in 2008, defeated two other candidates but in the four elections since then, has run unopposed. Not so on April 3, when he faces a challenge from Keith Messmer.
Ward 2 voters also will have a choice, as Bryan Kiefer and Lisa Smith are running for an open seat as Marilyn Leistner chose not to run for a second consecutive two-year term.
In Ward 3, Don Beckerle also opted against running for a sixth term and will be replaced by Jerry Holloway, who is running unopposed.
Aldermen are paid $200 per regular meeting (two are held each month) plus an expense allowance of $200 per month.
WARD 1
BERRY, 66, lives at 208 Walden Court. He and his wife, Mary Patrice, have four children and three grandchildren. Semi-retired, he is a school bus driver for the ParkwaySchool District. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in business administration from University of Missouri-St. Louis and has completed additional courses in banking, credit and finance. He has more than 30 years of experience in elective office, as mayor and alderman and on the planning and zoning commission.
He is a member of the Eureka Chamber of Commerce (and former board member), Eureka Lions (former president) and Sacred Heart Catholic Church (former parish council member). He was the head of the Fall Festival Committee, among other events, and was active in the Eureka Sports Association.
MESSMER, 37, lives at 74 Edward Drive. He and his wife, Karin, have three children. He has been a police officer for 10 years. He graduated from University of Missouri-St. Louis in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
What are the biggest problems facing the city and how would you address them?
Berry: ■ We have been hurt by an economic downturn and changes in shopping habits, but we have hired an economic development director.
■ Flooding, which has increased in recent years. We cannot control what happens along the Meramec River, but we are working with a floodplain management planning committee and the Corps of Engineers to seek options.
■ Alleviate traffic congestion along Fifth Street and Hwy. 109, where the state has failed to deal with our growth. The city is aggressively looking for all options and will seek help from the federal, state and county government.
Messmer: Fiscal responsibility and economic growth. The city has failed to address long-standing problems and is now dependent on a tax increase to fix problems that have existed for more than 10 years. Eureka has failed to bring in any new and substantial businesses or restaurants. I would address the shortcomings in the budget by working to stop the wasteful spending, would work to contact businesses and be more proactive at bringing in businesses.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Berry: I have the experience and will continue to lead the fight to make the improvements that our residents deserve. We already have started to attract new and enhance existing businesses. My goals:
■ Hiring a firm to evaluate options to improve our image and using our economic development director and mayor to seek out new business opportunities.
■ Identifying the best long-term solution for flooding.
■ Working for improvements to Hwy. 109 and Fifth Street, including widening Fifth Street and adding walking and bike trails, other improvements to the I-44 interchange and improving the Hwy. 109 bridge from Jefferson County.
Messmer:Eureka has not grown economically in years. The same storefronts have remained unoccupied and new ideas are needed. If I’m elected, my goals are to bring new and more modern ideas and help move Eureka into the future. I would also like to improve communications between the city government and its residents. There is such poor communication that most residents are unaware of how and where money is being spent; that is unacceptable. I will be more transparent and available to my constituents and focus on representing their visions.
What should the board do to prepare for the expected population growth in the city over the next five to 10 years?
Berry: We need to plan for the growth and development and need to pass the 1/2-cent sales tax to implement long-term solutions for flooding. We need to continue efforts to attract new and enhance existing businesses. To handle the traffic issues, we need to seek additional state funding of improvements to Fifth Street and Hwy. 109. We also need to continue to evaluate other needs such as a new police station, Allenton bridge replacement and water quality issues.
Messmer: Studies need to be done and solutions need to be sought for the traffic congestion that new housing developments will cause to city streets. Eureka also needs to entice some new businesses and restaurants so that our sales tax dollars can stay in Eureka instead of going to our neighboring cities. The board needs to study and provide solutions to stop the city from flooding and implement plans so that when it does flood, we will be prepared and the damage will be minimal.
WARD 2
KIEFER, 58, lives at 117 Hickory Hill Drive. He has two children and one grandchild, with another grandchild on the way. He is a retired carpenter for Local 92 and was a foreman for his brother’s company, Kiefer Construction. A 1977 graduate of LafayetteHigh School, he attended some college and the carpenters’ trade school. He is involved with the Eureka Lions, Eureka-Pacific Elks and Eureka Historical Society, and is a past president of that group. He was the building supervisor for the Eureka Lions concession stand and has been on the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission for 11 years.
SMITH, 42, lives at 219 Forest Hills Drive. She and her husband, Ben, have three children. She is a self-employed in-home child care provider. She is active in her church, where she works with the youth and young adult groups. She is a past vice president of the Belvins Elementary School PTO, a Girl Scout troop leader and classroom volunteer.
What are the biggest problems facing the city and how would you address them?
Kiefer: ■ Infrastructure work and roads. I would work to upgrade roads with curb and gutters and asphalt overlays.
■ A lack of sit-down restaurants. I would work with the city and Chamber of Commerce to address this.
■ Traffic. I would work with the state and city to work with traffic flow.
Smith: The biggest problems facing our city are:
■ Attracting new businesses, particularly more shopping, dining and family recreation.
■ The devastating flooding. While the past two floods brought out our best, we have to do more to protect our neighbors and businesses. The emotional and economic toll were far too great. With the Corps of Engineers, we must aggressively work toward a long-term solution.
■ Communication between our city government and residents must be improved upon. Eureka is filled with hard-working young families, singles, seniors and veterans that should have a voice and know they are being heard.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Kiefer: I have more than 30 years in the construction industry. I am involved in the community, have the ability to read and understand plans and the ability to realize problems and work for a solution. I have been on the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission for 11 years.
Smith: The only way to represent the people of Ward 2 is to spend time with them. As an alderman, I want to be involved in finding solutions to their questions and concerns. My neighbors have wonderful ideas for our town. I want to bring those to the table. My reputation would hopefully indicate that open communication and true concern for my neighbors and friends is a top priority. My door is always open.
What should the board do to prepare for the expected population growth in the city over the next five to ten years?
Kiefer: Immediately work with the Missouri Department of Transportation for a long-term traffic plan. It should work hand-in-hand with JeffersonCounty officials and do yearly assessments of growth to work for solutions.
Smith: The growth in Eureka is exciting, but with growth there is the potential for problems. I believe in taking a proactive approach. We will need to increase police and fire protection. The population growth will require a close look at traffic problem areas. Cooperation with St. LouisCounty and the state for roadway solutions will be vital. We need to continue to have open lines of communications with RockwoodSchool District. Current residents need to know that while we are welcoming our new neighbors, we haven't forgotten about them.