Voters in the Valle Ambulance District can have a clear choice when it comes to selecting two members of the Board of Directors in the April 3 election.
They can vote to retain two incumbents – Becky Lowry and Larry E. Cain – or they can choose two newcomers – Roy Mueller and Josh Mueller – or one of each.
Lowry was appointed to the board in 2007 to fill a vacancy, and has served three additional three-year terms. Cain was elected to the board in 2009 and is running for a fourth term.
Neither Roy Mueller nor Josh Mueller returned Leader candidate questionnaires.
Board members are paid $100 per meeting up to 14 meetings per year. The board usually meets once a month.
The district serves 250 square miles in southwest JeffersonCounty, including the Hillsboro and De Soto areas.
LOWRY, 69, lives at 4000 Heritage Hill, Hillsboro. She has four children and seven grandchildren. A retired nurse in the Hillsboro R-3 School District, she has an associates degree in emergency medicine from JeffersonCollege. In addition to her tenure on the ambulance district’s board, she has been a member of the Hillsboro Board of Alderpersons. She is a member of Good Shepherd Catholic Church, where she is on the card committee and formerly was on the parish council. She also has volunteered for her children’s schools.
She said she worked for the district as a paramedic about 30 years ago before she took the job with Hillsboro R-3.
CAIN, 68, lives at 4465 Liberty Meadows, De Soto. He and his wife, Helen, have four children and seven grandchildren. Cain is a retired firefighter and paramedic for the Ladue Fire Department. He trained as a firefighter and paramedic at FlorissantValleyCommunity College.
In addition to his nine years on the Valle Ambulance board, Cain served two terms on the board of the Winfield-Foley Fire Protection District in LincolnCounty, where he also was a volunteer firefighter and paramedic.
What are the biggest problems facing the district and how would you address them?
Lowry: Problems are few. Our employees are our biggest asset. They are well trained and dedicated to our residents. There are several critical care paramedics on staff. Valle has the most up-to-date medical equipment and vehicles. Voters have already given the district the financial means to make this possible. There is no need for a tax increase. The district is fiscally sound. In the future, House No. 3 needs to be replaced and I would like to see salaries increased. Both of these goals would be met with existing revenue sources.
Cain: Since I have been on the board, we have come a long way to improve education, living conditions and pay to our employees. There are no major issues facing the district at this time. If they appear, we will handle them.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Lowry: Because of my experience in helping to run the district, voters should elect me.
During my tenure the district has completed a state-of-the-art maintenance building, remodeled and expanded Houses No. 1 and No. 2, outsourced billing (saving thousands of dollars), purchased and updated equipment and vehicles, provided pensions, increased salaries and secured thousands of dollars in grants while reducing the property tax paid by voters. The district remains in a very secure financial position and pays cash for purchases, saving money on financing. I am currently board chairman. I attend all meetings and have medical experience. I am so proud of the district and want to make sure our residents continue to have the best care.
Cain: I have only missed one board meeting during my time on the board, due to illness. I am loyal to the district and our residents of JeffersonCounty. I will continue to be so.