Business owner announces council bid

The owner of a nearly 40-year-old small business has announced plans to run for a Springfield City Council seat that will go up for grabs next year.

Craig Fishel, who founded Fishel Pools in 1976, plans to run for the Zone 4 council seat currently occupied by Scott Bailes. In a news release, Fishel said he would file today to be on the ballot for the April 2 municipal general election.

“I do not have a specific issue or narrow agenda I want to pursue,” Fishel said in the release. “I would like to help council stay focused on strengthening those core functions that affect our quality of life, such as public safety, transportation and removing obstacles to job growth.”

Fishel has registered a candidate committee with the Missouri Ethics Commission for the April election. According to its website, current council members Jan Fisk, who holds the governing board's General A seat, and Jeff Seifried, Zone 1, also have filed, and Michael Carroll has filed for the General B seat currently held by John Rush. Carroll, controller at Andy’s Frozen Custard, led an unsuccessful bid to fill a seat this summer when former Mayor Jim O'Neal resigned. That seat went to Fisk.

The filing deadline for the April election is Jan. 15.

The council seat left vacant by the November resignation of Thomas Bieker also is scheduled to be filled next year. However, Mayor Bob Stephens previously said because the signature-gathering process for the election was well under way, the city would seek candidates after the Jan. 15 deadline for the general election.