Connell Insurance president enters political race

Last edited 1:20 p.m., March 15, 2012

Hollister-based Connell Insurance Inc. President Tim Connell has entered the race for the Eastern Taney County commissioner seat.

“I want to put my energies and experiences to work for the voters of the eastern district and help our side of the county through equal representation for everyone on the east side," Connell said in a news release. "I plan to continue my focus on job development without threatening the farmers and ranchers in the district. We also need to find ways to balance what has been working for the community in the past, while looking forward to the needs of the future, always keeping in mind our responsibilities to children and families."

Connell has served on Taney County's Developmental Connections board of directors the past 10 years. The initiative provides funding and resources for developmentally disabled individuals in Taney County. Connell also is a board member of the newly formed Taney County Business Development Partnership and a former chairman of the Taney County Industrial Development Authority, according to the release.

This is Connell's first entry into a political race. Incumbent Danny Strahan has filed for re-election, and Travys Saffle, of Forsyth, and Charles Stiffler, of Taneyville, also have filed for the seat, which will be voted on in an August primary, according to a report from KRZK.com.

So far, Connell has raised more than $10,000 for his campaign, he said.

Connell said, if elected, he would continue on as president of Connell Insurance. Though the commissioners meet twice a week, he said his staff would help him meet those duties.

"I would still be president of the company, but we are shifting some of the things around to lighten up the load I have in order to accommodate our clients," he said. "We have enough staffing to take care of that. I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't have a great staff to help me maneuver through this."