Voters in two of Festus’ four wards on the City Council will have decisions to make in the April 3 election.
In Ward 2, Brian Wehner, who was appointed to the seat to fill a vacancy and then elected to a regular two-year term in 2016, is attempting to win another term but faces challenges from Marcus Shepherd, a member of the Festus R-6 Board of Education, and Tim Montgomery, who was defeated in April 2017 in his bid for a fourth term.
In Ward 4, Jim Tinnin is running for a fifth two-year term but has drawn a challenge from Mike Quirk. Tinnin was unopposed in 2012, 2014 and 2016 after defeating incumbent Dale Persch in 2010.
Quirk did not return a Leader candidate questionnaire.
After the votes are counted, Ward 1 Councilman Gary Underwood will be sworn into his fifth term, and Ward 3 representative Bill Gray also faces no opposition.
Gray, the former foreman for the city’s Water Department, was appointed to fill a vacancy in late 2016, then faced no opposition in April 2017 to serve the final year of that term.
Additionally, Lori Eisenbeis also faces no opposition in her bid for a fourth straight two-year term as treasurer.
Council members are paid $300 per month and the treasurer $150 per month.
WARD 2
SHEPHERD, 46, lives at 805 N. Mill St. He and his wife, Lisa, have five children and one grandchild. He is an electrician with Local 1 of the electricians union and has completed electricians’ trade school and some college. He has been on the Festus R-6 Board of Education since 2009 and is a member of the Jefferson County Labor Organization.
WEHNER, 63, lives at 511 Westwood Place. He and his wife, Robin, have two sons. He owns Wehners’ Awards in Festus. A graduate of St. Pius X High School, he earned an associates degree from JeffersonCollege and bachelor’s degrees in accounting and political science from MissouriStateUniversity. He has been on the Festus-Crystal City Levee Commission for three years, was a YMCA liaison for one year. He has been a member of the Twin City Chamber of Commerce for 40 years. He has been involved in the Pedal the Cause cancer fundraiser and Powered for Hope, volunteers to maintain planters on Main Street, installed tree identification markers at WestCityPark, was a youth baseball coach and Scout leader and was an organizer of Twin City Days.
MONTGOMERY, 61, lives at 406 Benton Drive. He is single. He is self-employed at T and M Controls, which provides controls for municipal water and wastewater treatment systems. He received a degree in instrumentation and process control from Ranken Technical Institute in 1979. He is involved with NextStep for Life and is a swim coach with Special Olympics. Through his business, he has done some work for the city.
What are the biggest problems facing the city and how would you address them?
Shepherd: Revenue. When it is stagnant or decreases, it has an impact on services such as streets, police, fire and parks. We need to attract new businesses. Nearby cities around us such as Farmington and Arnold have done a great job attracting businesses and are thriving. Not only does new business bring needed revenue, but it also provides potential employment. I will work with other council members and staff to develop a specific plan to address this problem.
Wehner: ■ Lack of new businesses and jobs. I would support the development of the Shapiro property, promote the rental of vacant storefronts and hire a marketing firm to promote the city.
■ The impact on sales tax revenue due to increased internet sales. I would continue to meet and communicate with local, state, and federal officials.
■ The West City Park lagoon. If it is closed, our sewer infrastructure will require significant and expensive changes.
■ Lack of sidewalks and bike paths in some areas, and a lack of healthy lifestyle opportunities.
Montgomery: Elected officials not putting in the time to research projects that have a long-term effect. On major projects like the lagoon at WestCityPark, a complete understanding of all options requires a commitment of the council to fully understand all options based on facts rather than a salesman pitch. A good rule of thumb is to check references of where existing systems are implemented. In other words, municipalities should work together. This is how I led the Water Authority, which saved $7 million to $14 million.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Shepherd: I do not take public service lightly. Public service should be used to provide a higher quality of life for everyone. Attending most council meetings over the past two years have given me a better understanding of what the office entails. I do not rush into decisions, but study the facts, ask questions then make a decision based on data, not emotion. When elected, my goals are to increase the quantity of businesses in Festus, ensure residents of Ward 2 understand that their concerns matter and unite the council on making decisions.
Wehner: I would like to see a Festus where people want to work, play, shop and raise a family. My goals are to:
■ Help establish new businesses and thus more jobs.
■ Promote additional health opportunities.
■ Continue support of quality police and fire departments.
■ Upgrade streets with an emphasis on sidewalks and bike paths.
■ Have greater involvement with local schools.
■ Develop the downtown area.
■ Improve communication and cooperative efforts between Festus and CrystalCity.
■ Push for implementation and usage of 5G technology for new and existing businesses.
■ Establish electric car charging stations.
Montgomery: I hope the voters in Ward 2 would elect me because of my commitment to use my 39 years as an industrial control electrician. I have been self-employed since 1992. I don't represent any manufacturing entities or any engineering firms; my job is to troubleshoot existing systems and to retrofit more user-friendly control systems for municipalities to eliminate long-term hidden costs. I will continue to be a watchdog for the city to prevent outside entities from taking advantage of our residents.
City officials have discussed the possibility of building a recreation center. Do you support such an effort and why or why not?
Shepherd: A recreation center is not appropriate at this time. It does not add revenue, but costs to operate. When city officials are not willing to approve a cost-of-living increase to city employees’ wages because revenue is stagnant, they should not invest in a project that will decrease revenue. When the city police department has a high turnover rate because of pay, it is not a good idea to invest in something that further decreases revenue. A recreation center, and more, becomes a possibility when sound decisions are made to encourage revenue growth.
Wehner: Yes, but with considerable conditions. It must be a fiscally sound move for the city. Currently, Festus has the Jefferson County Family YMCA, but many people feel it is too expensive. I hope that greater interaction between city officials and the YMCA may unlock opportunities that have not been explored. If we eventually were to go ahead with plans for a recreation center, I would see it as a win-win situation. A healthier Festus is the goal and a priority.
Montgomery: A recreation center would place a huge financial burden on the city. There is an abundance of options for residents. I am proud of the local businesses that provide niches in the recreational areas.
WARD 4
TINNIN, 58, lives at 313 Meadow Chase Drive. He and his wife, Angela, have two daughters. He is a self-employed contractor, builder and developer for Tinnin Homes and Construction Inc. He received a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology and business administration from SoutheastMissouriStateUniversity in 1986. He has been a member of the Jefferson County Home Builders Association board for three years.
What are the biggest problems facing the city and how would you address them?
Tinnin: Our wastewater lagoon at WestCityPark. The (Missouri Department of Natural Resources) has given us a time frame in which to bring it up to current standards. I have served on the council member since this project began, and I feel that I can make good decisions based on the knowledge I have gained over the past few years.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Tinnin: I will strive for continued growth in our city. I will encourage new businesses to help strengthen our sales tax base. I will work to further improve and better our police department and fire department to secure our public safety. I will make sure our police officers and firefighters have the proper gear. If elected, I will also continue to maintain an open line of communication with our school system.
City officials have discussed the possibility of building a recreation center. Do you support such an effort and why or why not?
Tinnin: I do support the idea of a recreation center in Festus. It is an excellent way to serve our residents as well as keep them in the city, thus providing additional revenue.