Jefferson County residents will see some tax relief in two years, and Festus residents swept out four City Council members as the fallout from the approval of a data center started to reshape the city’s leadership today.
Voters overwhelming approved Question 1 with 13,447 “yes” votes (61.03 percent) to 8,586 “no” votes (38.97 percent), according to unofficial election results. The approval extends a property tax credit, also called a “freeze,” currently only available to homeowners 62 years old or older to all county homeowners.
Eligible Jefferson County homeowners will receive an annual credit equal to the difference between 2024 and the current tax year, starting in 2028. Some call the tax credit a “freeze” because what they pay in taxes will largely stay unchanged once it’s in effect.
Festus City Council races
In Festus, incumbents Jim Collier of Ward 1, Brian Wehner of Ward 2, Bobby Venz of Ward 3 and Jim Tinnin of Ward 4, all lost bids for reelection. Council members voted 6-2 on March 30 to approve a data center development agreement with CRG Acquisition during a special meeting at the Festus High School gym.
Wehner and fellow Ward 2 council member Staci Templeton voted against the agreement. Collier, Venz and Tinnin along with Dave Boyer of Ward 1, Kevin Dennis of Ward 3 and Michael Cook of Ward 4 voted for the agreement.
Karl Weekley won the Ward 1 seat with 208 votes (64.2 percent) to Collier’s 112 votes (34.57 percent).
Allen Joseph McCarthy won a three-way race for the Ward 2 seat with 312 votes (69.96 percent). Wehner received 90 votes (20.18 percent), and Matt Stout received 36 votes (8.07 percent).
Dan Moore won a four-way race for the Ward 3 seat with 273 votes (49.91 percent). Jesse Cordova received 151 votes (27.61 percent); Venz received 96 votes (17.55 percent); and Tim Bennett Jr. received 25 votes (4.57 percent).
Rick Belleville won a four-way race for the Ward 4 seat with 527 votes (65.38 percent). Tinnin received 158 votes (19.6 percent); Charles Underwood received 104 votes (12.9 percent); and Luke Adams received 14 votes (1.74 percent).
Voter turnout in Jefferson County was higher this year than last as 22,637 of 164,546 registered voters cast ballots in today’s election, for a 13.8 percent voter turnout. Last year, 14,770 of 162,228 registered voters cast ballots, for a 9.1 percent turnout.
Turnout was higher in Festus with 2,126 of the city’s registered voters casting ballots today, after 920 voted last year. Each council race had write-in votes.
Arnold City Council races
Turnout also remained high in Arnold, which received a scathing audit report from the State Auditor’s Office on Monday for how officials are handling two special taxing districts. In that city, 3,019 registered voters cast ballots, after 2,933 voted in last year’s mayor race and 2,832 votes were cast in the four City Council member races.
Also like last year, incumbents did not fare well in Arnold with Brian McArthur of Ward 2 and Gary Plunk of Ward 4 losing reelection bids. In 2025, Ron Counts lost the mayoral seat to Bill Moritz, and Jason Fulbright, Mark Hood and Butch Cooley were not reelected to the City Council.
Michael Rother unseated McArthur in Ward 2 345 (56.19 percent) to 263 (42.83 percent), and Brad Cary topped Plunk in Ward 4 557 (73.97 percent) to 191 (25.37 percent).
In the race for the one year left on former Ward 3 Jessica Bess’ term, Matthew Saller won with 424 votes (57.53 percent). Peggy Allen, who was appointed to replace Bess after she resigned, garnered 310 votes (42.06 percent).
Incumbents EJ Fleischmann of Ward 1 and Rodney Mullins of Ward 3 did not face challenges for their two-year terms, and Hood ran unopposed for treasurer. Each race had write-in votes.
Issues
Voters came out against increasing sales tax as only one fire or ambulance district received approval for a sales tax with Saline Valley Fire Protection District voters opting to establish a 1 percent sales tax with 893 “yes” votes (55.81 percent) to 707 “no” votes (44.19 percent.
Voters rejected 1/2-cent sales tax increases for the Antonia, High Ridge and Rock Community fire districts and for the Big River Joachim-Plattin, North Jefferson County and Valle ambulance districts.
Previously, ambulance and fire districts were not allowed to collect more than a half-cent sales tax in certain Missouri counties. However last August, the state Legislature passed a bill to allow ambulance and fire districts in all counties to collect up to a 1-cent sales tax, with voter approval.
While the state now allows ambulance and fire districts to collect more sales tax revenue, it also requires those entities to reduce the amount of property tax they collect by half of the amount of sales tax collected in the prior calendar year.
The Dunklin Fire Protection District’s seventh attempt to get a tax increase to boost funding for firefighter pensions failed with 610 voting “no” (68 percent) and 287 voting “yes” (32 percent). The district was seeing an increase of 5 cents per $100 assessed valuation.
Herculaneum voters did not approve a use tax on internet sales to equal the tax brick-and-mortar businesses already pay. The measure fell with 342 “no” votes (73.55 percent) to 123 “ye” votes (26.45 percent).
While most of the cities in Jefferson County have previously asked voters to pass the use tax, so far only Kimmswick, Crystal City and Byrnes Mill have voted in favor of the increase.
In Kimmswick, voters were split on establishing a 1/2-cent tax to fund capital improvement projects with 11 voting for the measure and 11 voting against it. Voters did approve imposing a license tax of up to 10 percent on the gross receipts of any special event held within the city with 13 “yes” votes (59.09 percent) and nine “no” votes (40.91 percent).
School districts received support for their measures with two passing bond issues and another getting approval to continue holding four-day school weeks.
The Fox C-6 School District’s $48 million bond issue passed with 5,059 “yes” votes (65.02 percent) to 2,722 “no” votes (34.98 percent), and the Jefferson R-7 School District’s $14 million bond issue passed with 689 “yes” votes (69.11 percent) to 308 “no” votes (30.89 percent).
The bond issues required a four-seventh (57.14 percent) vote to pass.
Grandview R-2 School District voters overwhelmingly voted to continue holding four-day school weeks. The measure received 374 “yes” votes (69.78 percent) to 162 “no” votes (30.22 percent).
Final, unofficial results for Jefferson County’s April 7 election are below. Winners are in bold. Incumbents are listed with an (I). Ballot issues required a simple majority for passage unless indicated otherwise.
JEFFERSON COUNTY
Question 1
■ Yes – 13,447 (61.03 percent)
■ No – 8,586 (38.97 percent)
WINDSOR C-1 SCHOOL DISTRICT
Board of Education
Three-year term
■ John DeWalle – 685 (32.14 percent)
■ Dustin Schwartz – 686 (32.19 percent)
■ Lindsay Winkler – 711 (33.88 percent)
Two-year term
■ Aby Reitzel – 796 (97.19 percent)
NORTHWEST SCHOOL DISTRICT
Board of Education
■ Nora Ross – 1,518 (18.9 percent)
■ Christine Eoff – 1,148 (14.29 percent)
■ Michelle Adams – 1,677 (20.88 percent)
■ Cindy Hayes – 1,793 (22.32 percent)
■ Michelle Coats – 1,809 (22.52 percent)
FOX C-6 SCHOOL DISTRICT
Board of Education
■ Curtiss Frazier – 4,267 (26.17 percent)
■ Travis Lintner – 4,043 (24.79 percent)
■ Kenneth Woolsey – 3,832 (23.5 percent)
■ Joe Looney – 3,938 (24.15 percent)
Proposition M (4/7th, 57.14 percent, vote required)
■ Yes – 5,059 (65.02 percent)
■ No – 2,722 (34.98 percent)
GRANDVIEW R-2 SCHOOL DISTRICT
Three-year term
■ Stephen Kuczka – 274 (23.04 percent)
■ Mike Mayberry – 359 (30.19 percent)
■ Abe Eof – 231 (19.43 percent)
■ Corey Wayne Powell – 314 (26.41 percent)
One-year term
■ Justin A. Verhaeg – 201 (44.87 percent)
■ Tommy Hahn – 243 (54.24 percent)
Grandview R-2 four-day school week
■ Yes – 374 (69.78 percent)
■ No – 162 (30.22 percent)
JEFFERSON COUNTY R-7 SCHOOL DISTRICT
Board of Education
■ Jimmy Jackson – 685 (32.51 percent)
■ Justin Neel – 716 (33.98 percent)
■ Pete McPeters – 662 (31.42 percent)
Proposition S (4/7th, 57.14 percent, vote required)
■ Yes – 689 (69.11 percent)
■ No – 308 (30.89 percent)
DUNKLIN R-5 SCHOOL DISTRICT
Board of Education
■ Jason Drinen – 547 (27.13 percent)
■ Michael Hicks – 533 (26.44 percent)
■ Wayne Spencer – 496 (24.6 percent)
■ Susan Hartmann – 399 (19.79 percent)
SUNRISE R-9 SCHOOL DISTRICT
Board of Education
■ Brandi Richards – 218 (26.91 percent)
■ Alexandria Belfield – 153 (18.89 percent)
■ Kristina Lambert – 183 (22.59 percent)
■ Justin Peppers – 160 (19.75 percent)
■ Daken Berry – 96 (11.85 percent)
ANTONIA FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
Board of Directors
■ Greg Dohack – 1,085 (96.19 percent)
Proposition Fire
■ Yes – 767 (47.52 percent)
■ No – 847 (52.48 percent)
DUNKLIN FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
Board
■ Rickey D. Johnson Jr. – 623 (96.44 percent)
Proposition P
■ Yes – 287 (32 percent)
■ No – 60 (percent)
HIGH RIDGE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
Proposition Fire
■ Yes – 1,250 (45.6 percent)
■ No – 1,491 (54.4 percent)
ROCK COMMUNITY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
Board of Directors
■ Christopher Ferris – 3,821 (97.35 percent)
Proposition Fire
■ Yes – 2,557 (45.94 percent)
■ No – 3,009 (54.06 percent)
SALINE VALLEY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
Board of Directors
■ Craig Williams –1,088 (96.71 percent)
Proposition Fire
■ Yes – 893 (55.81 percent)
■ No – 707 (44.19 percent)
BIG RIVER AMBULANCE DISTRICT
Proposition EMS
■ Yes – 796 (42.77 percent)
■ No – 1,065 (57.23 percent)
JOACHIM-PLATTIN AMBULANCE DISTRICT
Proposition EMS
■ Yes – 2,775 (47.79 percent)
■ No – 3,032 (52.21 percent)
NORTH JEFFERSON COUNTY AMBULANCE DISTRICT
Proposition EMS
■ Yes – 1,064 (45.24 percent)
■ No – 1,288 (54.76 percent)
VALLE AMBULANCE DISTRICT
Proposition Valle Ambulance Property Tax Relief
■ Yes – 1,419 (47.05 percent)
■ No – 1,597 (52.95 percent)
CITY OF ARNOLD
Treasurer
■ Mark Hood – 1,788 (94.2 percent)
City Council
Ward 1
■ EJ Fleischmann – 349 (93.82 percent)
Ward 2
■ Michael P. Rother – 345 (56.19 percent)
■ Brian McArthur – 263 (42.83 percent)
Ward 3
Two-year term
■ Rodney D. Mullins – 506 (93.19 percent)
One-year term
■ Peggy L. Allen – 310 (42.06 percent)
■ Matthew Saller – 424 (57.53 percent)
Ward 4
■ Brad Cary – 557 (73.97 percent)
■ Gary Plunk – 191 (25.37 percent)
CITY OF BYRNES MILL
Board of Alderpersons
Ward 1
■ Dennis Martin – 94 (89.52 percent)
Ward 2
■ Cynthia Davies – 87 (94.57 percent)
Ward 3
■ Steve Mayer – 67 (97.1 percent)
CITY OF CRYSTAL CITY
Mayor
■ Mike Osher – 351 (97.5 percent)
Treasurer
■ Hanely E. Cherry Jr. – 339 (98.83 percent)
City Council
Ward 1
■ John Bailey – 93 (97.89 percent)
Ward 2
■ Rick Fischer – 63 (92.65 percent)
Ward 3
■ Kenneth Bradley – 55 (96.49 percent)
Ward 4
■ Jeff Kempfer – 114 (98.28 percent)
CITY OF DE SOTO
City Council
Three-year term
■ Autumn Blanchard – 594 (38.2 percent)
■ Tonia Pierce Schmitt – 221 (14.21 percent)
■ Todd Mahn – 136 (8.75 percent)
■ Mike Bone – 594 (38.2 percent)
One-year term
■ Kathy Ingram Smith – 578 (69.81 percent)
■ Danny Manning – 249 (30.07 percent)
CITY OF FESTUS
City Council
Ward 1
■ Karly Weekley – 208 (64.2 percent)
■ Jim Collier – 112 (34.57 percent)
Ward 2
■ Allen Jospeh McCarthy – 312 (69.96 percent)
■ Matt Stout – 36 (8.07 percent)
■ Brian Wehner – 90 (20.18 percent)
Ward 3
■ Tim Bennett Jr. – 25 (4.57 percent)
■ Jesse Cordova – 151 (27.61 percent)
■ Bobby Venz – 96 (17.55 percent)
■ Dan Moore – 273 (49.91 percent)
Ward 4
■ Jim Tinnin – 158 (19.6 percent)
■ Charles Underwood – 104 (12.9 percent)
■ Luke Adams – 14 (1.74 percent)
■ Rick Belleville – 527 (65.38 percent)
CITY OF HERCULANEUM
Board of Aldermen
Ward 1
■ Dennis Herbert Tesreau – 98 (88.29 percent)
Ward 2
■ Christopher Robert Baker – 59 (96.72 percent)
Ward 3
■ Todd Michael Hogan – 180 (94.74 percent)
Proposition U
■ Yes – 123 (26.45 percent)
■ No – 342 (73.55 percent)
CITY OF HILLSBORO
Board of Aldermen
Ward 1
■ Richard Abel – 35 (94.59 percent)
Ward 2
■ Christopher DeGeare – 27 (93.1 percent)
Ward 3
■ Kevin D. Bremer – 42 (91.3 percent)
Ward 4
■ Williams Scott – 19 (42.22 percent)
■ Gerald V. Parrish – 26 (57.78 percent)
CITY OF KIMMSWICK
Board of Aldermen
Ward 1
■ Andrew Arnold – 6 (66.67 percent)
Ward 2
■ Donna Paszkiewicz – 10 (100 percent)
Proposition Capital Improvements
■ Yes – 11 (50 percent)
■ No – 11 (50 percent)
Proposition Special Events
■ Yes – 13 (59.09 percent)
■ No – 9 (40.91 percent)
CITY OF PEVELY
Board of Aldermen
Ward 1
■ Don Menkhus – 143 (95.33 percent)
Ward 2
■ Stephanie M. McCain – 92 (96.84 percent)
Ward 3
■ Tyler Leeder – 61 (87.14 percent)
Ward 4
■ Bryan Eckles – 37 (97.37 percent)
VILLAGE OF CEDAR HILL LAKES
Board of Trustees
■ Zachariah Ravellette – 18 (46.15 percent)
■ Timothy Gary – 21 (53.85 percent)
VILLAGE OF PEACEFUL VILLAGE
Board of Trustees
■ Danielle Shannon – 19 (70.37 percent)