Council candidates narrowed for April election

Dan Chiles, co-owner of Watts Radiant, and Jack Steck, a Missouri State University athletics coach, will vie for general council seat D. Chiles received 53 percent of the vote, while Steck received 33 percent; Randal Hanes took the lowest percentage of votes at 14 percent.

For council’s zone 2 spot, incumbent Shelia Wright and Cindy Rushefsky took the most votes, at 26 percent and 51 percent, respectively. Steven Lloyd Reed received the lowest at 22 percent.

Wright is involved with Urban Districts Alliance, Southwest Missouri Council of Governments and Solid Waste Management District Region O. Rushefsky is former Greene County assistant prosecutor.

Others on the ballot who were determined previously will be incumbent Conrad Griggs and Doug Burlison, racing for general seat C. Incumbent Ralph Manley will run unopposed for zone 3, and incumbent Tom Carlson is the sole candidate for the mayoral seat.

Also Tuesday, voters approved by 78 percent the continuation of a 1/4-cent sales tax for three years. Tax revenue will be used to fund high-priority capital improvements.

The Logan-Rogersville R-VIII School District will be able to fund a new Early Childhood Center, as well as districtwide renovations, after voters gave 73 percent approval to a $10 million bond issue.

The Fair Grove R-X School District was not as lucky, however. Voters turned down a $6.8 million bond issue that would fund new classrooms, building additions and renovations.

Fair Grove Superintendent John Link said the issue already is on the April 3 ballot, and school officials will make an effort to get more information out to voters, many of whom Link said he feels were misinformed.

“Areas of concern that I feel that some of our patrons had were that this money was going for athletic purposes, and it’s explicit in the ballot language that it’s nonathletic,” he said, adding that some also might have worried about the district maximizing it’s bonding capacity. “Due to the growth that’s projected for Fair Grove, in my opinion, that is a nonissue.”

Overall, Greene County showed a 7 percent voter turnout.[[In-content Ad]]